NGE: Bloodlust
by Archdruid-Sephiroth
Summary: There are things that inhabit the night... Rei has become one of them. Now she seeks to end Gendo's senario. It won't be easy, but soon she won't be alone. SxR Contains blood, violence, harsh language and adult content.
1. Bloodstained Beginnings

A/N: I don't own NGE, that pleasure belongs to GAINAX. I do however love what they've done.

A/N: The following anime contains adult situations and contexts. Although it starts of slow, expect to see lots of graphic violence, plenty of foul language, lemon/lime content and blood… lots of blood… but considering this is about the supernatural does it really surprise you?

Many of the aspects of this story are loosely based on White Wolf's World of Darkness, but it is by no means a crossover or a direct rip. I hope you enjoy it.

**

* * *

****Neon Genesis Evangelion: Bloodlust**

**I: Blood Stained Beginnings**

The last moments of the day faded into shadow as Rei lay upon her bed. Her barren apartment slowly began to fade from sight as the last vestiges of Sol's light were stolen away by the coming night. None of this of course affected her in the least, apathy being a way of life for her. Her window was still opened from earlier in the day… she saw no reason to close it.

However there was someone (or perhaps more to the point, something) that smiled at the thought of easy prey. He had been watching her for a time and knew a lot about her. Mostly because his past and hers were closer than anyone could guess. He had waited for his opportunity to do this and now he had it. Opportunities were often hard to come by in Tokyo-3, and there were times one could seemingly wait forever and a day before one would choose to appear… if it ever did. So this man… this thing… decided tonight would be the night. As darkness completed its embrace about him, he made his move.

Inside the room Rei was lying on her back, breathing slowly and evenly. Only recently had she been allowed to return to her apartment after suffering her injuries during Unit 00's activation experiment, and her body still ached from the damage that had caused her. Since then the Angels had returned en force, and a young boy had taken the reins of the Test Type, Unit 01 which lessened her stress level greatly. A normal person would have thought this a boon, but to Rei, nothing really changed or even got better. If she had any thoughts at all about this boy, she certainly didn't show it. In the end, only the senario mattered.

So far two Angels had made their appearance, and both had been defeated by this child, this son of The Commander. Things were moving along in the scenario well now, and although even Rei barely understood her part to play in it, she understood that eventually it would no longer matter. As her mind began to dwell upon current events to analyze them and assure they were in line with what she understood about the scenario, her senses suddenly awoke. A feeling akin to being watched touched her, though unlike normal people, she wasn't startled by it... she was only annoyed.

There was a prowler in her apartment. She sat up wondering why someone would enter here... after all, she had nothing of value. She barely managed to stand up when suddenly she felt herself being thrown against a wall. Rei hadn't even seen her attacker until just now and she never saw him until they had both had stopped moving. The shock of the sudden movement didn't help her in the location department as she didn't even know where in her room she was at the moment. She knew she was still near her bed... it simply wasn't physically possible to move much further than that in such a short timespan.

She knew now that her attacker meant to harm her in some way. Of course, her apathetic nature wouldn't even allow her worry about that. Regardless of what horrors awaited her, she didn't care enough. The Commander would simply replace her if she was beyond saving when Section 2 found her. And so she didn't struggle as he grabbed the side of her face and pulled her head to the right. She did however yelp in surprise when the next unexpected thing happened…

Rei felt a piercing pain in the left side of her neck and realized her attacker was biting her. A wetness trailed down her neck onto her school shirt's collar before being cut off by a sucking sound. Her attacker was drinking her blood, and in her inexperience she did not know why, nor understand the siginficance of such a vile act. She only knew with clinical precision that if enough was lost, she would die. Already her sight was beginning to fade and sounds seemed more distant. Her breathing had become more shallow as she considered this, and a chill began to crawl up her body.

Idly, Rei considered the irony of being killed this way. Her first death was by choking at the hands of Naoko Akagi and it appears her second will also be a neck injury of some form. Soon, the room began to spin as dizziness and loss of full sensory ability indicated she had already lost too much precious vitae. She felt herself being picked up like a bride being carried over the threshold. It seemed almost pointless to Rei that her attacker treat her soon to be dead body with such respect, but as she had no voice left in which to inform him of the meaninglessness of his actions. She barely registered the feel of the soft bed beneath her as she was gently placed there.

Rei could barely perceive that her attacker was sitting on her right side as the lights dimmed fully. The last thing she felt was something wet being placed over her mouth as it began to tip open to expel the last breath of air she would ever take. Rei had accepted death but that death would not come for her. The moment the first drop touched her tongue her eyes flew opened with a sudden shock of energy. Her entire body felt like a foot or hand that had fallen asleep, but the pain was a thousand times worse. She shuddered as a hunger awoke in her. Whatever the liquid was, she needed it like an addict needed his fix.

Her hands flew up and grabbed onto whatever it was that was issuing forth the sweet liquid. It was the first time in her entire life that The 1st Child knew need, and it was consuming her like a wildfire. The precious liquid wasn't getting into her body fast enough so she sucked hard on whatever it was that was issuing it like a baby with a bottle. Her senses were dulled and on fire at the same time, nothing except the liquid existed… not her… not her attacker… not the likely still dripping wound on her neck…not The Commander… not the scenario… nothing.

Suddenly the source of the sweet liquid was pulled away from her, and the normally apathetic girl whimpered like an injured puppy. Her eyes began to clear and she finally got a better look at her attacker.

He was young looking, maybe in his early twenties and vaguely Japanese but mostly Eastern European. His eyes were red but more of a feral red rather than her crimson. His hair was blacker than the night and tied back in a single pony tail low on the scalp. He wore dark jeans, a black leather belt with metal studs and a black t-shirt. A trench coat, which he likely was wearing before sat on the foot of her bed, folded neatly and waiting for its owner. His left wrist had two puncture wounds in it and bled slowly.

Bled… to her horror she realized what she was drinking and quickly threw herself into the wall at the head of her bed. She couldn't understand why this suddenly bothered her, but something inside of her mind, like a primal aversion told her that something terrible had happened to her… something far worse than simple death. Her eyes widened as he smiled at her, showing a pair of elongated canines on his upper jaw.

"I see you are both awake and coherent now," he whispered in a chilling voice.

"Wha… what are you?" Rei asked. She couldn't understand why it was suddenly so difficult to form complete words or sentences. Was she experiencing fear? That was impossible, she had never been afraid of anything before.

"Nosferatu," he replied, a slight Romanian accent creeping into his Japanese. "Kindred… Vhampir. Though most know our kind simply as Vampires. We are the children of the night, living within the darkness and preying on the life blood of the living."

Knowing nothing of vampires, she took the man at his word. "What have you done to me?" she asked, sounding much calmer now, closer to her usual self. She was wondering why if she was feeling fear was her heart not pounding in her chest.

"You really know nothing of our kind do you Rei?" Her eyes widened at the realization that this person knew who she was. "I have baptized you in my blood. You are like me now."

"I'm… a Vampire?" she asked cautiously, watching this man nod in agreement with her. She had no true understanding of what had happened, only the aversion within her soul told her that this was wrong. "Who are you?" she demanded. "How do you know who I am?"

He laughed at her questions. "Believe it or not Rei, I used to work for the same agency you do. I was a technician assigned to Project E working with one Dr. Naoko Akagi." Her eyes narrowed slightly at that. Though she felt no animosity towards the doctor before, she suddenly became aware of how she truly felt about her. "I see you remember her. Though my relationship with her I discovered the truth about what Commander Gendo Ikari was planning to do." She wondered how he got someone as close to the Commander as Naoko Akagi to give up that kind of information. Did he have a close association with her, perhaps some kind of fratranization? Or did this... monster... have some kind of power over her?

"So I tried to stop it. I ended up getting hunted for my troubles. It was during this time that I met a man who told me he could give me the power to stop his insane scheme. He turned me and helped me fake my death. Now, I am putting a scenario of my own into the game." Rei could see where this is going. "You are my ace in the hole, the key to a controlled 3rd impact that can be averted. As you are now undead, you are unsuitable for his designs. But I will need to prevent Gendo from simply activating a new clone in your place. Based on that, you must continue to exist as you normally do."

"I don't have a heartbeat and my body is room temperature," Rei pointed out. "You will be hard pressed to convice Dr. Akagi that I am still alive."

"Of course," he said calmly, "which is why I'm going to teach you how to emulate a living being."

Rei suddenly didn't like where this was going, but a nagging feeling inside of her was telling her what this monster was planning was actually for the best. Perhaps all this time she was not doing the right thing. Perhaps she was just a tool after all.

"What makes you think I will cooperate with you?" she asked.

"Because Rei, you no longer wish to help Gendo." She thought about that and realized he was right. Being undead suddenly opened her up to new experiences and desires… desires that were previously repressed by upbringing and drugs. Now her life experiences didn't matter anymore and the drugs could not affect an undead mind. She could do as she wanted and live as she wanted. And if her feelings were correct about The Commander doing the wrong thing all along....

"It is a wondrous gift I have given you Rei… immortality… power… and freedom," he added. "Now your life will truly begin."

"I do not know what to do," she said after a moment.

"What do you wish to do?"

Rei thought about that a moment. "I still wish to pilot EVA, but not because it is expected of me."

"Oh? Then why?"

"I... do not know. Perhaps because it is what I was made to do."

"You can't fool me Rei," he said with a slight chuckle. "You actually care about the human race at large." She looked at him for a moment with a slight blush forming. He smiled at her warmly. "You wish to preserve them because you feel a kinship towards them, depsite your unusual genetic make up. And if you are worried about being forced to kill to survive, I have good news for you. You do not need so much blood as to kill an individual, unless you desire to turn them. And we vampires have the ability to affect mortal minds, tailoring memories or simply eradicating them when necessary."

Rei looked surprised by this realization. "Oh yes Rei, you now have command of many abilities… and I will teach them all to you. If… you are willing to learn."

Rei wasted no time with a response. "Train me."

**

* * *

**

2 Days Later

Water cascaded down her back as she leaned on her hands against the wall of her shower stall. Her life had changed dramatically in the past 48 hours, and she learned a lot from her "Sire" as she had come to call him. She learned that the superstitions about Vampires burning to ash in sunlight was an old wives' tale. It was not her normal time of day anymore, and other than the light becoming quite a bother to her, she was quite safe. She did notice that she did not feel as strong during the day, but still stronger than normal humans. To counter her light sensitivity, she purchased a pair of dark sunglasses. Though she couldn't wear them in class, they helped immensely.

What was causing her problems was figuring out her sleep schedule. She would take naps during the day since she was active whether she wanted to be or not during the night. Of course, she realized that the times she was required to be in NERV would further invade upon her ability to rest. It was a bridge she would cross when she got there.

Her head raised up as she heard a voice call her name. Rei's keen hearing, even over the white noise generated by the cascading water of her shower picked up the sounds, and she knew instantly that it was the 3rd child.

Shinji was nothing like his father; he was timid, fearful and introverted. She knew that this state was exactly the way Gendo wanted him, it made him easier to control. Her Sire wanted to derail The Commander's senario and Rei realized that a good way to accomplish such an ambitious goal was to put a spine in the body of the 3rd child. But how to go about that....

A mystery for another time. For now she had to deal with the fact that he was in her apartment. She turned off the water and grabbed her towel. Though her personality changed quite a bit since she was turned, certain things like modesty still eluded her. Since her Sire seemed to not care about that she paid no heed to such ideals.

When she exited into her apartment proper, tending to her still wet hair she caught sight of him wearing the broken glasses she had kept from the incident involving the activation experiment. Though she knew she should have disposed of such things, it would not do to advertise her sudden personality shift. So she did what she felt she would have done before…

Fear began to well up in Shinji's eyes as Rei's face turned to one of annoyance. She stalked towards the 3rd child, causing him to back off into the dresser. She plucked the glasses off his face just as Shinji lost his balance and began to fall forward. Rei wasn't expecting this, nor was she expecting his school bag to catch on the nob on her dresser causing the balance to shift faster. The next thing she knew, she was on her back on the floor with The Commander's Son on top of her. The draw had been removed from its confines and her panties were dumped all over the place.

The fall knocked the proverbial wind out of her, leaving her stunned for a second. Apparently, Pilot Ikari was just as stunned as he had yet to move from on top of her. Rei shifted and tried to get her bearings again as a sudden impulse of pleasure shot though her originating from her chest. She quietly moaned, not fully comprehending what caused it until she realized that one of Shinji's hands was currently all but squeezing her left breast.

Her cheeks suddenly became very warm and very pink. "P-please… move…" she managed to get out. When she was apathetic, the unwanted touch probably wouldn't have affected her at all, but with her humanity reawakened and the more animalistic side of her true nature always just below the surface, the event elicited a very different response.

Shinji looked down at his hand placement and freaked, jumping off of her quickly and simultaneously trying to stammer out an apology as Rei suddenly became very self conscious. She quickly got up and grabbed her towel, wrapping it around her in one smooth motion.

"Its ok," she whispered when he finally stopped stammering. "It was an accident."

"It still shouldn't have happened!" he cried. "I'm so sorry!"

"Pilot Ikari, stop apologizing."

"Y-yes…s-sorry!"

Rei suddenly smiled and chuckled lightly. Shinji had never heard that from her before and it took him completely off guard. "You just apologized for apologizing," she explained. "That seems a bit redundant."

Shinji realizing why she was chuckling, smiled sheepishly. "Heh, yeah I guess it is."

"Can you wait outside a second so I can get dressed?" she asked. "Or at least turn around?"

"Oh… of course…" Shinji replied. He was going to head outside then decided to just turn around.

"_Perhaps there is hope for him,"_ Rei thought as she retrieved one of her clean pairs of panties from the floor and began to put on a school uniform. Once this was done she said, "I'm decent now."

He was still nervous, she could smell the fear on him. It was faint but combined with the sound of his rapidly beating heart it was undeniable. She realized this was probably the first time he has ever seen a member of the opposite sex naked before. _Perhaps it won't be his last either_, she thought devilishly.

As Shinji turned around to see her again. Rei looked up at him, now sitting on her bed and asked, "What brings you here?"

Shinji thought for a second then looked down at his empty hands. A light seemed to turn on in his head and he retrieved something out of his pocket. "This," he said proudly.

She took the item from him at looked at it. It was a new swipe card for NERV.

"Right," she said absently. "Its been six month since the last one."

"We change cards every six months?" he asked.

"Security is important to NERV," she replied with a shrug. "I understand they are wanting to go to three month rotations if they can fit it in the budget."

"It seems a little excessive," he replied.

Inwardly Rei was smiling. His blood pressure and heart rate were slowing down which meant he was becoming more comfortable around her. She would continue to develop this level of rapport with him and slowly build his confidence up. Then he will no longer be Commander Ikari's pawn. If her sire wanted her to disrupt the scenario Gendo had laid out, she had ways of making that happen.

"Perhaps but it is not our place to judge," she countered. "I feel that it is a good thing. Perhaps it is a bit bothersome but overall it is a good system." She glanced over to her bedside clock. "I have to go to NERV for another activation test."

"You got hurt during the last one."

Rei looked down. "I have to try again," she said barely above a whisper.

"But I'm afraid you'll get hurt again," Shinji responded.

Rei looked at him and placed a hand on the side of his face gently. As much as she tried to convince herself that she needed him only for her Sire's scenario, it was obvious to her that she had feelings for him. "Shinji-kun," she whispered. The use of his name in such an endearing manner caused him to blush slightly. "I know you want to protect me from EVA. But EVA is important to the future of mankind. As much as you wish you could, you can not bare this burden alone. You saved me from having to battle the 3rd Angel despite the fact that you did not wish to pilot EVA. I may have to do the same some day. And I would do so willingly."

"A-Ayanami," he whispered as she smiled at him and made her way out of the apartment.

**

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**

4 Hours Later

As Rei entered the plug, she noticed EVA 01 was on standby in case her EVA went berserk again. In way she was thankful for this. It meant if the EVA responded to her undead nature adversely he could stop it from completely destroying the testing center again. She wasn't worried about her own safety, more because she could easily regenerate from any injuries that didn't result in decapitation or a large wooden object being plunged though her cardiac muscle. Getting set in, as the plug closed around her she felt the plug begin to descend into the EVA before it began to fill with LCL. Rei never knew exactly what this stuff was but she knew it smelled like blood, a scent she found pleasing at this particular stage of her life.

As her head became submerged, she blew the air out of her lungs explosively. She didn't need to breath but she had to keep up appearances. But as soon as the liquid hit the inside of her mouth and lungs she suddenly found herself in the throes of a euphoric rush she was barely able to control.

_Blood!_

_Blood!_

_Gallons and gallons of sweet, sweet blood!_

It was all around her, she was literally swimming in it, and it was a potent mixture at that. The power of it made her shudder in delight as she fought to control herself. She knew that Dr. Akagi, Commander Ikari and the rest of the bridge crew could see her on their monitors. It took every ounce of willpower to keep her fangs in check and calm her body before she had a vampiric joy-gasum in her seat.

The bridge crew set about their task, initiating neural connections and monitoring the pilots vitals. Rei, was able to keep her body faking normal functionality enough to fool the computers into thinking she was a living being and not an undead bloodsucking parasite. Even while trying to keep control over her own body and keep herself from filling with total bloodlust by being submerged in what could only be the most pure blood she's tasted yet. As the neural connections became active and she was able to see outside the cockpit, she found her connection to her EVA was actually providing her with the clarity of thought needed to maintain a hold of herself. This was ironic to her as the last time she felt this close to it, it went completely out of control.

Finally, absolute borderline was passed and she and her EVA synchronized. She heard Ritsuko quote her at a 36% Sync Ratio and felt pleased with that. She made a show of it by "breathing" a sigh of relief. But as she did this, she heard the alarms go off. At first she thought her EVA got away from her again but then she heard Shigeru yell though the PA.

"AT Field detected!"

Ibuki quickly tapped out commands on her keyboard before also speaking though the PA. "Readings confirmed! Pattern Blue!"

"Rei, remain on standby," The Commander orders. "Deploy 01."

**

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**

90 Seconds Later

Shinji inside Unit 01 shot towards the surface as Rei watched on her monitor inside her EVA. If something happened, she would be deployed and for now they didn't know what to expect. The Angel was a massive octahedron, an almost perfect geometric diamond-like shape. Within the next few seconds, he would hit the surface and face off against his 3rd angel.

"High energy reaction inside the target!" Shigeru called out.

Rei's eyes were plastered to the screen as a massive particle beam fired from the angel struck Unit 01 barely a second after it made it to the top, burning though layers of armor in seconds. Her heart almost stopped as she heard his screams of pain and panic. Pandemonium ensued on the bridge as they quickly recalled him, but despite the sudden unexpected attack, they managed to get him back before any major damage was dealt to the EVA.

The operation was canceled for now, allowing Rei to exit her EVA. She kept herself in check, but part of her wanted to run to Shinji that instant and make sure he was okay. Once she was released by the The Commander, she made a b-line to Shinji's hospital room. There she remained until he awoke.

**

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**

Several Hours Later

Shinji awoke with a start clutching his chest with a free hand. It took him a second to realize Rei was with him and holding his other hand.

"Ayanami," he whispered. "What happened?"

"The Angel attacked you with a high powered particle beam of some kind when you emerged from the shaft." After a moment her eyes softened more. "I was worried."

Shinji had had little contact with Rei but he knew that she acted differently around him. It made him feel special that she showed this side of her only to him.

Rei tried to smile a bit but found that she was still worried about him. Just then her eyes drifted and she realized that they did not put him in a hospital gown when they put him to bed. Her cheeks turned visibly pinker as her eyes feel upon his bared body.

Shinji, noticing her sudden embarrassment, was puzzled at first and was more confused when she suddenly locked eyes with him for a second before turning away. Her checks now bordering on red. It was then that he looked down and with a short scream quickly covered his nudity.

"I guess this makes us even now," Rei said with a slight smile.

"Heh, guess so." A noticeable blush spread across his face.

After an uncomfortable minute, Shinji broke the silence. "So what happens now?"

Rei turned towards him and handed him a file. "This is the battle plan handed down by Captain Katsuragi. Operation: Yashima, I think she called it."

Shinji looked into the folder and saw the documentation. "A sniper? Clever."

"She is good at what she does," Rei replied casually. As she looked at him again, she felt his heartbeat rapidly beating despite the distance between them. Her eyes focused and she realized she could see the veins and arteries in his body. They were calling to her with every pulse. Her eyes visibly reddened though Shinji didn't see. In addition her canine teeth were starting to pulse in time with Shinji's heartbeat.

"I… I need to go," Rei finally said as she got up and began to leave the room. Any more of the stimulus and she'll change right in front of him. That wouldn't do.

"Wait! Ayanami!" She stopped. "Th-thank you… for staying with me until I woke up."

Rei smiled a little to herself. "If it makes you feel any better Shinji-kun… I liked what I saw." Her face began to redden further as she realized what it was she just said. She wanted to run out of the room but she didn't.

Shinji wasn't dumb. He knew exactly what she was talking about and the rising redness in his cheeks and the increase in his heart rate told her that much.

After a few seconds of silence he finally responded. "So did I."

**End of Chapter I**

* * *

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_ (My blood is fervid)

_Sanguis meus avidus est,_ (My blood is greedy)

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_ (Your blood is sweet)

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_ (Your blood is joyful)

- from Bluthochzeit (Blood Wedding) by E Nomine

* * *

This chapter was re-edited on 11/27/2009.


	2. Encounters

A/N: Please see Chapter 1 for Disclaimers.

* * *

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Bloodlust**

**II: Encounters**

**

* * *

  
**

**T Minus 2 Hours**

Shinji sat 10' away from Rei on a balcony overlooking the operation grounds. Rei herself sat with her knees up to her chest, lost in thought. This was perhaps one of the riskiest operations mankind would ever partake in, but a part of her realized that it was just the beginning. Only 2 of the 15 angels had been defeated so far, not including the current angel left 12 more. By those numbers the war was only 20% over, she calculated… well, 20% after they killed this one.

But this one was what currently worried her. Rei's Sire taught her a lot about what she was, and what she needed to fear. Intense heat was one of the things she needed to fear… specifically fire, but in this case, trying to absorb a massive particle beam with a makeshift shield. This act would raise the internal temperature inside of her plug to levels where her flesh might just burn despite being submerged in liquid… either that or she'd boil to death. Neither thought pleased the young vampire.

"Rei, why do you pilot EVA?" Shinji's question roused her from her current thoughts.

"Because I am bonded to it," she said.

"Bonded?"

"Yes… it is a bond." She sighed as she turned towards him. "I never had the option to not pilot it… it is what I was born for. So I dedicated myself to it as my singular purpose." The fact that she was also the key to a controlled 3rd Impact never entered the conversation. "And you?"

"I… I don't know," he responded, sounding uncertain. "I guess because I was told to. I do not like it… but I know it is something I have to do."

Rei considered this for a moment before asking a question she already knew the answer to. "When the 3rd angel attacked, why did you pilot EVA?"

Shinji looked at her with his eyes widened. "I… father forced me into it!" He stammered at first then with a twinge of fear in his voice he continued. "They would have made you do it! You were there… all bandaged up… on that... gurney! I couldn't allow them to force you into it!"

"I see," she said calmly. "Then I am grateful."

Shinji blushed slightly and looked away as Rei stood up and approached the railing.

"Tonight we go into battle together… you and I. You protected me from something that would have likely killed me that day when you first arrived. Tonight, I will return the favor. May your aim be true… but if the angel manages to get a shot off… I will protect you."

"Rei." Her name was spoken barely above a whisper. She imagined that she might have looked angelic standing there between Shinji and the moon. A normal person probably would not have heard the inflection in his voice, but Rei's enhanced senses picked it up. The fluttering she heard from Shinji's chest told her all she needed to know about how he felt about it. As awed as he was by her, he was afraid for her....

....she was scared too.

**

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**

T Minus 0

Operation Yashima began at midnight exactly… a hum spread throughout the countryside as massive cables loaded with more electrical energy than was thought safely possible began to transfer their load towards a singular point. Power plants all across Japan went into overdrive as men on phones shouted out orders, requests and status updates on an almost continuous basis.

Rei was scared of what would happen. Worse case scenario, the angel manages to defeat them all and mankind dies. Best case; Shinji manages to kill the angel in one shot before it had a chance to retaliate. The chances for a best case scenario however were at best remote and at worse neigh impossible.

The sounds of yelling over her radio woke her up to what was happening. The angel was charging faster than Shinji, but he had a head start. She gripped the shield and hoped she wouldn't have to make good on her promise.

He fired… at almost the same time as the angel. Rei watched as the magnetic fields around the two powerful particle beams altered each other's trajectories sending one shot into the side of the mountain and the other overshot the target completely.

Shinji quickly changed fuses and started the recharge cycle. Rei knew that if the angel was preparing another shot, that it would finish charging first. Apparently she would have to be a human shield after all. Nervousness gripped her heart as she gripped the shield tightly.

The positron rifle managed to get to 60% charge up when the angel unleashed another beam of intense particle energy. Despite the terror gripping her, she managed to get in front of the beam and plant herself in as the beam struck the shield with the force of a runaway dump truck. Her EVA slid back a bit, probably a good 50' or so. For an EVA, that distance was negligible.

Rei grit her teeth as the LCL in her plug suddenly became 20 degrees warmer. The energy was pouring onto the shield, quickly melting it. The force of the impact cut all the cockpit links to NERV, and this was a blessing. Rei felt her skin beginning to dry and crackle like burnt paper as a black spot appeared on her left cheek. Underneath her plugsuit, her skin was turning black and peeling away. A few more seconds of this and she would burst into ash.

Rei did the only thing she could do, she sucked in all the LCL she could and concentrated on regenerating her body. Her eyes turned red and her fangs extended of their own volition as she leaned 00 further into the blast to hold it at bay. She began to shriek like a banshee, her utter will and determination combined with continuous contact with the LCL keeping her alive even as her EVA's armor melted from the intense heat. The shield all but gone, 00 was taking the brunt of the blast directly.

Finally the beam ended as Shinji fired his own in retaliation. Rei wasn't sure if he made it at that point since she was already blacking out as the temperature of the LCL began to go down.

* * *

_Rei found herself standing on a balcony overlooking a dark countryside. For some reason her hair felt a bit longer than it should be, reaching her shoulders. She looked down at herself and found she was dressed in some form of formal ensemble that didn't leave too much to the imagination. It was completely black and made of a light material that felt like some form of silk. The material glided across her skin as she moved eliciting sensations that could only be described as "most agreeable". She heard voices behind her and turned to face them._

_There was a long table with many men seated at it. No food was placed out for these men but each had a wine glass full of blood. They were arguing but the conversation was impossible to keep up with. She tried to see them but their faces were blurry and indistinct. The word "Clan" was heard from a few of them._

_A gentle touch on her shoulder caused her to turn. Another man was there. Though she couldn't make out his face either, she was able to see his eyes. They were beautiful and surprisingly alive seeing as how she knew this man was a vampire as were all who sat at the table._

"_You shouldn't be here," he said in a polite but firm whisper._

* * *

She heard her name being called and her eyes drifted opened. She found herself still clad in her plugsuit and laying inside her plug. The LCL was barely over a foot deep now and the door was opened into the cool night air. She could feel that none of the damage her skin had suffered during the battle still existed. She shifted towards a sitting position but her back protested her movement and she moaned lightly in pain.

"Rei!" she heard the voice again and recognized it as Shinji. She looked towards him and his face was indistinct for a moment, just as the faces in her dream were. After a moment his face became clear again

"Shin…ji…" she whispered weakly. Her entire body hurt, reminding her idly of her activation experiment. Only this time if she did have broken bones, they would regenerate quickly. Still, she felt weakened and ill.

"Thank God your alive!" He stepped into her plug and helped her sit up. She weakly leaned against him and moaned softly in her pain.

"I'll live," she said just above a whisper. "Remind me never to do that again."

Shinji allowed himself a slight chuckle at Rei's quip. "I'll write you a memo," he said.

She smiled at this. "The rescue teams aren't here yet?" she asked. Shinji shook his head. "Figures… they're always late…"

"Don't worry, I won't leave you."

Rei smiled. "Do you know just how long I've waited for a guy to tell me that?"

Rei wondered if that comment was too much. The blush creeping over Shinji's cheeks and the sheepish look on his face told her all she needed to know.

* * *

**Several Hours Later  
**

Ritsuko Akagai stared at the mess that Unit 00 was in and sighed. She knew there was a high probably that this would happen, but the reality of it was now staring her in the face; melted armor and burnt components. Besides the hundreds of man hours this would take to repair, she had another mystery that needed to be solved.

After all feeds to the cockpit of 00 failed, the computers in the plug itself began recording. The video and audio data was corrupted beyond retrieval. But the rest of the pilot data was intact. Ritsuko was disinclined to believe most of it. It indicated that 4 seconds after they lost feeds, Rei was clinically dead. Her heart stopped and her blood pressure fell though the floor. Not only that but her Sync Ratio while she was dead jumped above 75 percent. When the battle ended, she apparently resuscitated during the fall but her sync ratio remained above 70 percent until her EVA went silent.

Ritsuko did not know the meaning of the word impossible… but she did know the meaning of the words "equipment failure". Rei has never shown a sync rating this high before, that was still in question. However Ritsuko had to concede that the failure to properly register the pilots vitals was due to malfunctioning equipment and not as a result of the 1st child actually having died.

Sighing she stepped over to the computer and ran the data from the plug again, watching the "death" of the 1st child coinciding with the spike in her sync rating. It Capped at 78.7 for about 3.5 seconds before slipping slightly to 77.9 and remained there until just before shutdown when it began dropping rapidly… a sign that she was blacking out. This was the point where she apparently came back to life.

"Something wrong Sempai?" came the voice of Lt Maya Ibuki.

"No. Just a mystery I can't seem to solve. Did you know Rei's sync ratio jumped over 40 points during the last battle?"

"No way! Is that even possible?" Maya's surprise was expected. While other bridge members knew only that higher was better when it came to sync scores, Maya, who was taught directly by Ritsuko, understood far more about them. She, like Ritsuko, realized the impossible when she saw it.

"Honestly Maya, I don't know. Some of the data is impossible while some of it may be. I'm just not sure."

"You'll figure it out Sempai! You always do." Maya's cheerful voice always seemed to bring out the best in her and she inwardly wondered how she'd ever be able to manage without her here.

Ritsuko was not blind, she knew Maya looked up to her as a role model and maybe even more. The thought had not escaped her that Maya could have a crush on her, and it actually flattered the doctor. Ritsuko was actually quite the wild one in college despite her seemingly no-nonsense demeanor at NERV, and was known by at least some of her fellow students to be experimenting with other girls. She had her chance with a drunken Misato Katsuragi one night and actually quite enjoyed herself.

That was a long time ago and she has been hesitant to go down that road again. However even she had to admit that for all her childishness sometimes, Maya was cute. Not to mention she was probably more fun in bed than Gendo could ever hope to be… although she had to question if Maya had ever actually done that before.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Maya."

"Of course!" Just as Maya said this she keeled over a second.

"Are you ok Maya?"

"Hai! I think I need to pee though," and with that she ran out of the room.

_Poor girl has a weak bladder sometimes. I should see if I can give her something for that._ Ritsuko went back to work, trying to decipher the puzzle. After almost an hour ticked by she looked towards her partner's station and saw that she had still not returned.

"I'd better check on her," Ritsuko whispered and left her station. She walked down the hall for a bit before finally reaching the door to the ladies' room. Ritsuko was about to call out to her as she walked in but the sound was cut off in her throat when she saw Maya on the floor leaning against the wall looking very pale.

"Oh my God Maya!" she slid down to a kneeling position next to the girl and immediately took her pulse. It was weak, but the sudden skin contact woke her up. She moaned, but oddly it didn't sound like pain. In fact she remembered making sounds like that during her own "private time".

Weakly her eyes seemed to begin to focus, finally finding home in Ritsuko's eyes. "S… Sem…pai?"

The weak sound in her voice caused Ritsuko's heart to wrench. "Yes.. its me Maya," she replied as she stroked the girl's hair. "What happened?"

Maya stared blankly towards an uninteresting spot on the opposite wall for a few moments. "I… I don't… remember…." Promptly, she passed out again.

"Maya?" No response. "Maya!" She moved a little and allowed another soft moan to escape. Ritsuko quickly picked her up and moved as fast as she could towards the hospital wing.

* * *

**Minutes Later**

Ritsuko managed to get Maya to the NERV Hospital and started running extensive tests tests. Poor Maya showed all the signs of being anemic but there seemed to be no cause. Her symptoms were synonymous with massive blood loss, but Ritsuko had gone over every square inch of the girl's body with a fine tooth comb, and there were no signs of any cuts, scrapes, gashes or even hemorrhaging. Then there was the moan upon awakening that couldn't have been anything else… and the unexplained memory loss.

She stared at the unconscious girl as she lay upon the hospital bed. Maya seemed so peaceful lying there and recovering, even with the I V in her body replacing lost blood and delivering other fluids to her.

_Maya… what in God's name happened to you?_

* * *

**One Hour and Fifteen Minutes Ago **

Rei walked into the ladies' room near the bridge. She was still feeling a bit queasy since she was rescued, but Doctor Akagi gave her a clean bill of health after her examination. She seemed surprised that Rei could recover this fast but then again, she healed quickly before and never scarred. This time her recovery was phenomenal according to the good doctor.

Rei hated her… with every ounce of her being, she desired nothing but misfortune and pain to her. She deserved nothing less, for the ancient laws dictated that the sins of the parent are carried to the child if they were not paid for. Naoko Akagi killed her… Ritsuko deserved to suffer for that. And so it came to the point where Rei could not stand to be in the same room with the woman, but in her presence, she tried to be civil.

Try, being the operative word here, which was not an easy thing to do. Somehow, Rei managed to simply deadpan everything to the point where Dr. Akagi didn't notice any changes. This pleased Rei but it still irked her to be in that woman's presence, let alone let her touch her in a medical examination.

She stared at the mirror and let the frustration seep out of her slowly. No reflection stared back at her and for once, Rei was grateful for this. She didn't even want to know what she looked like right now.

Rei turned on the faucet and splashed cool water onto her face in an effort to calm down. She was so distracted by what she was doing that she did not initially hear one of the toilets flush. However when she raised her head up she saw one of the stalls opening.

_Wonderful..._

"Oh, hi Rei." Maya said cheerfully. She was about to say something else when her eyes locked onto the mirror. Rei could see the realization in her eyes as the horror set in. Maya apparently knows what the lack of a reflection meant, and the implications therein. Rei turned towards her; the annoyance she felt reflected in her now glowing red eyes.

Maya made a break for the door but Rei's supernatural speed was far too much for her to escape. Quickly grabing her by one of her wrists and slapping a hand over her mouth before she screamed.

"I didn't want it to come to this," she hissed at Maya. "I really didn't. But now you leave me no choice." She slowly released her mouth ready to clamp it down again if she tried to scream.

"Rei… please," Maya pleaded. "I-I won't tell anyone I-I swear! Y-Your secret is s-safe with m-me."

"I really wish I could believe you Maya, I really do. But I can't take that chance. Trust me when I tell you this is for your own good."

Maya turned her head away from Rei and closed her eyes. She didn't fight back anymore. It was as if a part of her just gave up and all she could do was brace herself for her end. Rei felt a little sorry for her, but at least Rei wouldn't have to kill her.

As she brought her mouth close to her neck, Rei's sight pierced though the skin and saw the artery beneath it. "I can only promise you that the pain will pass quickly." Her fangs extended as all features in her eyes disappeared into a haze of red. "And you might just enjoy this."

Her teeth pierced her skin with all the resistance of a progressive knife though soft flesh. Maya squirmed a little and gasped in pain as Rei felt her teeth sink though the artery. She gently removed them as the blood began to pour free and wasted no time sealing her mouth over the skin around the new wound. Slowly, she began to suck up every drop that leaked down. As Maya continued to squirm beneath her.

Suddenly, Maya's stopped groaning in pain. Instead she moaned softly. She had stopped squirming and started to writhe instead as if she were now in the throes of ecstasy. Rei's Sire had told her that some humans find the blood draining ritual to be an erotic one, and apparently the young technician was one of them.

Rei decided to torture her a little bit by slowing the draw of blood from her body. This elicited powerful waves of pleasure in the girl. She could feel Maya's thin body rubbing against hers trying to create more friction and physical contact. The girl was clearly out of her mind right now, and was loving every blissful second of it. Rei could drain her to death and Maya wouldn't even have the mental capacity right now to care about it. However that was not her plan… it would not due to kill the tech, as she would be needed in the battles to come.

As Maya began to lose the ability to stand, Rei realized that she had drawn enough. She removed her mouth and with one long lick, cleaned the blood from her neck. As her tongue passed over the holes in Maya's neck, her saliva passed a small and very short lived bit of Rei's essence into her causing the wounds to quickly close and heal on their own. Within moments there was little more than a bit of redness left. Given a few minutes, not even that would exist anymore.

Maya moaned again as sense started coming back to her. "I… I don't… want… to die…," she cried.

"You won't Lt. Ibuki," Rei replied to her in a low voice. "Sadly, you won't remember our meeting either. I'd love to see what you're like in bed one day." Maya, despite her weakened condition managed a slight smile before Rei locked eyes with her and pierced her mind. Within a matter of seconds, Maya fell unconscious…

Rei sighed. The girl had a lot of passion within her, she realized. She dissevers better than Dr. Akagi… assuming she ever returns the girls advances.

"First things first," she whispered. "Akagi will answer for her mother's crimes, then if she lives after I'm done with her, we'll see if she is really worthy of Maya-chan."

With that, she made sure the girl was as comfortable as possible on the floor, before leaving the bathroom before someone else came in or came looking for the young tech.

* * *

**Several Hours Later**

Rei returned to her apartment that night feeling refreshed from the blood she drank. LCL was a powerful cocktail but it lacked something that was in human blood that apparently her body needed to sustain her undead existence. Tonight however, she would not have to hunt. The blood she drank from Maya was sustaining her quite well… perhaps a little too well.

She thought about the events of the past two days as she sat… or rather crouched on the back of the single chair in her room. There was nothing holding it down and she was perfectly balanced on the back of it facing away from the seat. She was wearing her school uniform but had other clothing laid out on her bed just in case she decided to steal herself off into the night anyway. Although the normal person would not think that such a position offered much comfort, it was to her.

"So how is your undead life?" came the voice of her Sire. He simply seemed to appear out of the darkness of one of the corners of her apartment.

Rei was used to his theatrics at this point. "Ok I guess," she replied.

"Uh oh, you don't sound very sure of yourself young one."

"Master, you're not that much older than me."

He chuckled at that. "Quite true. So what seems to be the problem?" He walked across the room parking himself right in front of her.

Rei frowned. "I guess I'm still not used to all these emotions and feelings," she deadpanned. "I keep feeling myself wanting to drift back into my old uncaring self."

"But you do not wish to," he stated. "You wish to keep going until you are more comfortable with it."

"Yes," she whispered.

"You've fed recently, haven't you?"

Rei nodded. Perhaps it was the color of her skin or the fact that she still had a bit of afterglow from her last feeding, but for whatever reason, her Sire always seemed to know when she fed. "I got caught in the ladies room. Lt. Ibuki saw I had no reflection. It seemed like she knew exactly what that meant."

"I see… Did you kill her?" he asked curiously.

"No, I wiped her memory."

"Good." Her Sire began to walk around the room. "You are learning quickly… even more quickly then I believed possible. I must say I am pleasantly surprised."

"Thank you Master," she replied in a low voice. "But I have to ask. Did you have a specific plan in mind for how to wreck The Commander's plans?"

"No," the answer was immediate. "The only thing that was planned was you. I knew that was all I needed to do. The rest will fall into place on its own. Try not to think on it so much and try to enjoy yourself."

She sighed. "I will Master, but it is difficult. Now that I understand the meaning of fun, I find it difficult to decide how to have it."

He chuckled at her. "All things in time my young apprentice," he whispered darkly. "You have no idea how long I wanted to say that. It makes me feel like The Emperor."

Rei smirked at that thought. "Master, is this another science fiction reference?"

"If you are at all curious my dear, look up pre-2nd impact science fiction works under the reference of 'Star Wars'. You might enjoy it. I sense that something else is bothering you. Please speak your mind."

Rei looked at him. "When Shinji and I fought the 5th angel, I blacked out near the end of the fight. When that happened… I had an odd dream."

Her sire seemed to express more interest than normal. "What about?"

Rei detailed what she remembered about it to him and tried not to leave anything out.

"Interesting. My Sire told me about similar gatherings. A long time ago, Vampires were the dominate lifeform on Earth. This you know. What I have not told you is that there were ruling families that controlled vast amounts of territory. The heads of each of these clans would meet in a secret coven once every seven years to discuss the political and social situation. I believe you had a dream about one such coven."

"But how would I have had such a dream?"

"The power of an individual Vampire Bloodline is passed down though each turned individual. Sometimes, along with this power there are memories."

"You mean, I am a member of one of these Clans?"

"As am I, and every other vampire that exists today. But we are too low on the 'totem pole' so to speak to even hear about or attend these covens… should they still be held. Perhaps after we have gained a measure of power and time under our belts, we will have that opportunity."

Rei thought about that for a moment. "I'd rather not. I am not one for politics."

He laughed at that. "Nor am I young one, but the opportunity to establish a relationship with a higher ranking member is never a bad thing. It is good to have friends in high places."

* * *

**Elsewhere**

Weakly Maya awoke. At first she was confused… remembering she was supposed to be on the bridge helping Ritsuko with her latest issue. Something about… Rei? Her combat data? Maybe?

_I can't remember anything. What's wrong with me?_

She looked around and saw she was in a hospital bed with a single I.V in her arm but a bandage over the other one… both were sore. As her eyes began to sweep the room her Sempai walked in, bringing a smile to her face.

"Sempai!" she said weakly but with enthusiasm. "What happened to me?"

Maya noticed a look on Ritsuko's face that seemed to indicate she was lost in the whole subject. "I'm honestly not sure Maya. Have you ever shown signs of being Anemic before?"

"Anemic? No. I work myself pretty hard but… that couldn't be the cause could it?"

"No," she stated directly. "But I'm running out of ideas. For whatever reason , all your blood cell counts were way down when I found you. Its like half the blood in your body just… disappeared."

Briefly, she got a flash in her mind of pain in her neck. Her eyes widened as she felt something akin to lust and ecstasy and heard her own voice moaning in the back of her mind. But any images she could try to pull forward were indistinct. It sent a shiver down her spine as she really couldn't remember the details. Which could only mean one thing....

_I was attacked by a Vampire… why aren't I dead, or undead for that matter? Sempai can't know about this, she'd never believe it. Angels are one thing but Vampires? I'd just as easily get her to believe in the boogieman._

"Weird," was all she could say.

"Well I'm keeping you here overnight for observation. But it looks like you'll be well enough to return to your duties by next week.

"Arigato Sempai," she replied. "You know how I go crazy when I don't have anything to do."

"Even still, I want to make sure you recover fully from what happened to you. If you absolutely have to work, take your laptop with you when you go home tomorrow… but don't over do it. Do you hear?"

"I know I know, don't worry."

Ritsuko's look softened a bit. Maya normally doesn't get to see that look on her face often. Its when she's worried about something personally important. "I just don't want to see anything bad happen to you, that's all."

Maya felt her body heating up and her cheeks reddening. She also heard her heart monitor start pulsing faster. Everything in the room was giving her away. She couldn't even look at her Sempai now. What will she say, now that she has irrefutable proof that Maya is in love with her?

She saw that Ritsuko was eyeing the monitors, which only made her more nervous, until she noticed her Sempai smiling at the readings. "That means get some rest silly," she said as she mussed Maya's hair causing the girl to giggle despite herself.

Maya obediently laid back down as Ritsuko took one last look at the monitors before smiling and leaving. It was at this point that Maya realized that her Sempai knew. Either she was flattered or she felt the same way, she didn't really know for certain. What she did know is that now she didn't have to be so nervous around her Sempai.

* * *

**Ayanami's Apartment, That Moment  
**

"So what was she like, this Lt. Ibuki? How did she taste?"

Rei thought about it for a moment before she managed to answer with confidence. "She has the sweetest blood I ever thought possible. Not even drinking LCL was like that. I can only hope that when I finally drink from Shinji's veins… he will be as sweet."

"Do you like her?"

She smiled. "Perhaps as a plaything… but my heart still belongs to Shinji-kun."

"Don't be afraid to expand your horizons," her Sire replied. "It is part of what it means to enjoy your eternity."

"Very well," she replied. "But first things first. I have my own agenda to work against The Commander, and I must lay the ground work for it soon." She smiled. "Business before pleasure."

"Why limit yourself when you can have both?"

Rei chuckled. "Actually that is part of the plan."

**End of Chapter II**

* * *

Sanguis meus fervidus est,

Sanguis meus avidus est,

Sanguis tuus suavis est,

Sanguis tuus iucundus est

* * *

A/N: Chapter last modified on 11/27/2009


	3. Bloodstained Lineage, Part I

A/N: See Chapter 1 for Disclaimer.

**

* * *

**

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Bloodlust**

**III: Bloodstained Lineage, Part I

* * *

**

_The darkness around her had a tangible essence to it, she could actually feel a cold energy surrounding her. She didn't know where she was, only that it was warm and comforting and at the same time, absolutely terrifying. She felt a pair of arms surround her shoulders like a lover gently grasping her from behind. Fear welled upon within her very soul and she tried to scream, knowing what was to come as she felt the hot breath drift over her neck._

_She couldn't fight it, as much as she tried to. Her muscles would not respond to her commands, no matter how much she mentally screamed for them to move. As the arms around her gently slid down from her shoulders across her chest, she realized she was completely threadbare. Despite her fear, she felt warmth begin to pulse within the core of her being and she damned her traitorous body for reacting this way to something so unnatural._

_The piercing pain struck her in the right side of her neck from behind, and her body finally issued a noise… a singular moan of mixed pain and pleasure as the hands cupped her modest female assets. Her temperature began to rise even further as she felt a second pair of hands caress her stomach. These hands were softer, thinner, they felt feminine as the stroked down towards her hips. She could see nothing, but she could smell the light jasmine perfume this new assailant was wearing. Her skin tingled a she felt another pair of breasts touch hers as the first pair of hands slid down below her chest. She shivered in mixed ecstasy and weakness as the female before her bit down upon the left side of her neck._

_With two vampires on her now, she shivered and knew she would die soon but her body writhed against her will, enjoying what would be her last minutes on earth, her consciousness faded quickly as the powerful waves of absolute bliss came over her. With one last twitch and a silent orgasmic cry the last of her consciousness left her._

With an almost inaudible scream, Maya sat straight up in her bed. Her right hand came up to her heart as she began breathing very hard and very fast, threatening to hyperventilate if she didn't get herself under control. Her entire body was soaked in her own sweat and she shivered as the cool air of her apartment finally registered on her nearly numb skin.

Her head tilted in the direction of her alarm clock and read the time. 3:16 am…

Taking one deep breath she managed to finally begin regaining control over her respiratory system and calmed herself enough to move. With a slight grunt of effort, she walked into her bathroom and turned on the faucet. She looked at herself in her small mirror and saw for only the second time since she was attacked just how pale she looked. Not much of her color had returned yet giving her the appearance of a fresh corpse that hadn't been buried yet.

"_This sucks,"_ she mentally complained. _"I can even sleep well. I haven't had such vivid dreams since college… when…" _She shook the thoughts from her mind, daring not to dwell upon such a sordid past. The fact that she was attacked recently and inside of NERV HQ for that matter meant only one thing… as impossible as it sounded, there was a vampire at NERV. But who? Would a male follow her into the ladies room? She certainly couldn't rule that out… vampires tended to be bolder than humans, and something like proper etiquette and accepted public behavior held no power over them.

"_Wait a minute…I could have sworn I heard someone enter sometime after I did,"_ her mind began to attempt to piece together what happened. _"It was pretty bad, I had to pee something awful but it hurt when I did, I remember that. I thought I might be getting a urinary tract infection, I'm pretty prone to those. Then I hear someone come in… and it sounded like they were upset or something but I didn't recognize the sounds. Then I finally finished, I heard the water turn on so I flushed, zipped up and stepped out and… and…."_ Nothing… her mind simply blanked out, as if she saw nothing. Her very next memory was being awoken by her Sempai and feeling like she had just came down from an orgasm.

She looked down at herself. Her bedclothes consisted of an oversized t-shirt and a pair of panties. Lifting up her shirt she gazed down at herself again and saw that the front of her underwear around the crotch were soaked in her own fluids. Even being alone, a blush spread across her cheeks. If she had any doubt about being attacked by a vampire before, such thoughts would have been smashed right there. Maya knew well how she reacted to getting bit.

Growling in a combination of frustration and anger, she pulled them down and off, throwing them across her bedroom in a fit of anger. Realizing she was not going to be able to sleep anymore tonight she pulled her shirt off and started a cold shower. She could still feel the arousal caused by her dream and consciously decided to resist the urge to service herself. The shock of the cold water hitting her dispelled the veil of sleep that still held her, and for a brief moment also robbed her of her ability to breathe. Quickly she realized she made a mistake as she shivered even more so then she ever did in a cold shower.

With her blood supply not yet fully recovered, she was more susceptible to cold temperatures. Before she suffered anymore and risked injury she turned some of the hot back on. Sighing with relief at the feeling of warmer water cascading over her frame she closed her eyes and tried to relax.

But as vulnerable as her mind was currently to her previous dream, that was also a mistake. The warm water washing over her began to reawaken her drive. Her mouth tipped opened in a silent moan. Without even thinking about it she turned the temperature up further which only hastened the inevitable. Her nipples hardened and her hands drifted up to them.

She forced her eyes opened and her hands away as best she could, but the desire was overtaking her. In the end she did the only thing she could do…

"_Oh, to hell with it."_ She thought and reached for her liquid soap.

**

* * *

Later That Day  
**

Rei had learned that Shinji did not like harmonics tests at all, but for the life of her (or undeath of her in this case), she couldn't figure out why. She always felt comfortable here, submerged in blood, even before she was turned. The entry plug was the throne of the soul to her and oddly, after her turn to the dark side, it became even more comfortable.

The only time she did not feel comfortable was during the activation experiment when Unit 00 rejected her and caused her physical damage. She was nervous about getting back in and trying again but thankfully that went well. Now she had to prove her usefulness to The Commander to continue to keep his suspicions away from her.

"Ok that's enough," Dr. Akagi announced. "You two are done for the day. Shinji, excellent work reaching 47%."

"T-Thanks!" he replied.

"Rei, I am impressed though. You managed a sync ratio of 68%. Shinji, you'll have to work harder if you wish to catch up to your teammate."

"I will!" Ritsuko seemed surprised at his enthusiasm. "Thank you Doctor."

Rei exited her plug and waited for Shinji on the catwalks, then walked with him towards the locker rooms.

"I wish I was as good at this as you," he said at length.

She smiled at that. "You will get there Shinji-kun, it will just take more practice."

He returned the smile… a smile that could melt her even at her coldest.

Its been almost 3 days since their conversation at the hospital and neither spoke about the incident or the incident in her apartment earlier that day. Rei knew it was not wise to rush into something like this but thankfully had an out to prevent her from doing anything foolish.

"So about today," Rei started, waiting for a signal from Shinji that he was paying attention. When she received it, she continued. "I won't be able to go with you to the arcade."

"Huh? Why not? I was looking forward to it!"

"I know but," Rei looked sad when she spoke but inwardly she smiled, knowing this would work to her advantage. "The Commander scheduled some special tests for me and It'll take most of the day unfortunately."

His body temperature instantly increased and his face changed ever so little, but she could tell that inside, he was fuming. She didn't bother to tell him the fact that these 'special tests' happened to be regular and she had over a month's notice about this. But the way she worded it, she neither confirmed that it just came up or denied it, and Shinji was too upset to question when this happened. Either way, she successfully nudged him a bit closer to being able to act against his father.

"_Take care of the small things and the big things will work themselves out."_

"I see," he said at length. "Perhaps tomorrow then?"

"Yes, I'd love to."

"Good! I'll pick you up at your apartment tomorrow then, say around 9am?" She nodded. "Ok, I'll see you then!"

Rei watched him walk into the boys side of the locker room as she made her way to the girls side. Undoing the damage his father did to him was proving a little easier than she thought. She knew he was gaining confidence around her and at least trying to show confidence to others, but he was a long way to being a 'man' as they say. Rei still had her work cut out for her but repeated contact will go a long way…

… and repeated contact had its own benefits.

**

* * *

**

**2 Minutes ago **

"Ok that's enough," Dr. Akagi announced. "You two are done for the day. Shinji, excellent work reaching 47%."

"T-Thanks!" he replied, a bit of a stutter but otherwise sounding a bit confident. Looking over the numbers she couldn't help but gawk a little at Rei's score.

"Rei, I am impressed though. You managed a sync ratio of 68%. Shinji, you'll have to work harder if you wish to catch up to your teammate."

"I will! Thank you Doctor."

Ritsuko was surprised at the level of enthusiasm he was showing for EVA suddenly. He had made it quite plain after the battle with the 4th Angel that he really didn't want this life, but he stayed anyway and now, he seems to have taken to it much like Rei had. What changed recently to cause this kind of a turnaround in the 3rd child. She watched them go and saw that Rei was waiting for him.

"_Rei, what are you doing?"_ she wondered. Whatever she was doing however, Ritsuko hoped she didn't stop anytime soon. Gendo had not been treating her well ever since they were 'dating'. Well, dating is probably not the best word for what they did, it was more like Ritsuko had become Gendo's convenient outlet when his hormones were getting the better of him. In way she was glad it was her and not Rei, although she knew that Rei was probably the primary reason Gendo could never love her… she's too much like Yui. Inwardly, she wondered if Gendo was better than that or if, given the proper triggers, he would order Rei to take her place as his outlet. The thought that he could potentially be capable of such with a 14 year old girl disgusted her.

Before her thoughts went in dangerous directions she banished them from her mind. The Magi was now hard at work crunching the numbers from the harmonics test and the current sync graphs, which left Ritsuko to work on her other mystery… Maya's collapse. Before getting started she wondered if she should call her. Ritsuko knew she couldn't be everything that Maya would probably like from her but on some level, she did love the girl and cared about her. How far such a relationship could go was something she didn't know… but that girl needed some relief in her life.

She picked up her phone and dialed the young tech.

**

* * *

**

**5 minutes ago**

Maya stared at her laptop computer screen. She must have been here for over an hour, without any real will to log in. Her adventure in the shower left her feeling dirty and drained. She never considered herself a "bad girl"… but now she wondered if that was hardcoded into her genetics. As mousy as she knew she was she didn't see herself becoming like that, but current events were starting to weight her conscience down and make her wonder about her own integrity.

She raised her right hand in front of her and stared at it as if seeing something that wasn't there. Nothing of course was, but she did see what was once there….

_With a shiver, the last gasps of her orgasm faded from her body. She slumped down to a sitting position in the shower, but with the spout turned downward, the water itself didn't reach her. The warm steam kicking up around her wrapped her body in a soothing blanket of moisture. Gently removing her right hand from her nether regions, she shuddered a bit then brought her hand up in front of her. Her juices were slowly dripping from her fingers onto her tummy. She seemed to idly consider it for a moment before finally looking disgusted with herself and slowly extending her arm. As her hand hit the stream of water the vicious fluid ran off into the tub and down the drain. In mere seconds, all evidence of her sin was gone._

Her memory faded as she continued to stare at those fingers. _"I must be mad. I was getting hot and bothered over the thought of being drained to death by undead monsters. I actually brought myself to orgasm by imagining their mouths on me, the blood running out of my body, death itself caressing my soul…"_

"I'm so fucked up," she whispered to herself.

Her cell phone rang and she briefly considered not answering it. At the second ring she made her decision and picked up.

"Hello?" she said. Her voice was low, barely above a whisper.

"Maya? Are you ok?"

"Sempai!" suddenly rousing herself out of her depression long enough to talk to the woman she loved.

"You sound a little better today."

"I took a shower this morning, but I really didn't sleep well," she replied.

"Bad dreams?" Her heart skipped a beat.

"H-How did you know?"

"I monitored your vitals while you slept in the hospital the other night," she explained. "I noticed you were showing all the signs of having bad dreams. Do you want to talk about it."

"I-I'd rather not," she said. "I'll be okay, just need some time that's all."

"Take the time you need Maya, I can't have my best tech suffering a nervous breakdown on me."

She blushed at the compliment. "Any idea what happened to me yet?"

"Still no." She sounded frustrated and Maya could almost imagine her pounding away at the keyboard at breakneck speeds trying to find the answer… an answer Maya already knew but also knew she could never reveal. "I'm not giving up, not until I get some kind of possibility. If it something genetic or viral, there is no telling what could happen."

"I know," she responded. "Well, let me know if you find anything. Is there anything I can do here? Even if its busy work?"

"Not yet, I'll have something for you tomorrow. Just try to get some sleep, drink plenty of fruit juice and water and take it easy. Hopefully I'll be able to get you back here in a week or less."

"That would be nice," she whispered. "And hopefully we can get a chance to… talk about… something."

She paused, waiting for her Sempai to respond. Her heart beat faster, never had she been brave enough to elude to anything. Her teeth closed on her bottom lip in anticipation of what she would say.

"Yes…" she said softly. "I'd like that. I'll call you tomorrow ok?"

"Thanks, Sempai."

"Rest well Maya."

She heard the phone click and sighed, closing her own phone. Would Sempai understand if she told her straight up how she felt about her? Would she reciprocate those feelings? And one question Maya wanted answered more than any of them… would her Sempai's love win out over the darkness staining her soul?

**

* * *

NERV**

Ritsuko closed the cell phone with a slight smile on her face. "I was wondering when she was going to bring that up." She whispered before getting to work. But before she could even get started, Gendo appeared on the upper balcony.

"Doctor? It's time." Without another word, he turned and left. She knew exactly what he wanted though; it was time for Rei's downloads. Saving her location on the system, she sighed and made her way deep into Terminal Dogma.

**6 hours Later**

As the time ticked by Ritsuko struggled to stay awake. No more than 20' from her, the 1st child was floating within a tube of LCL, undergoing the arduous task of downloading herself into the system. Hours seemed like days, but nearby Gendo seemed oblivious to this. He simply stood by and watched her.

"_He cares more about that abomination than anything else in this world."_ Ritsuko realized she was always going to play second fiddle, whether or not the 1st child was actually involved in anything inappropriate with Commander Ikari or not.

A beeping sound on her primary terminal roused her from her self loathing and near slumber.

"What's the problem," Gendo demanded.

Her eyes read the readouts, seeing a odd readings. She scrutinized them briefly wondering if something was going wrong. However Ritsuko ultimately decided this was not important. "Fluctuation in the Amino Protein count in the LCL. Nothing we haven't seen before."

This seemed to satisfy The Commander for now and nothing more came of it.

**

* * *

**

Behind Rei's right leg, one of her nails slowly shrunk back down to normal size as a cut barely visible on her right leg bled into the LCL. The vampiric blood was diluting into the orange liquid and losing its red color before ever becoming visible. This new seed however would form the foundation for her backup plan.

"That's it for today Rei," Gendo said at last. "You can go home now."

Rei smiled gently as the LCL began to drain back into the reservoir where her clones were stored. She stepped out of the cylinder and walked calmly to the nearby shower stall. She could hear the sounds of the machinery finishing the purge cycle behind her and began cleaning herself. Rei didn't even have to turn around to know that Gendo was watching her.

"_One by one, I will shatter your plans. Your scenario will fall apart until you have nothing left in this world. Maybe after I'm done with your designs I'll make you my undead slave to serve me as a ghoul for all eternity."_ She allowed herself another smile before turning off the water and getting dried and dressed.

**15 Minutes Later**

Rei left NERV HQ just under a quarter hour later. The last vestige of sunlight began to fade from the sky and the night air cooled around her. Wasting no time, she hurried home so she could get changed. While her school uniform would have been appropriate under normal circumstances, it was time to have some fun. While she knew some men (and even some women) got off on the schoolgirl look, she decided her darker, more gothic attire would be more suitable tonight.

She closed her window and shades, knowing that Section 2 was always watching her. Tonight, she would slip though shadows to avoid them. Stripping off her school uniform, she went though her closet and pulled out her private stash. After her Sire had given her her first dark outfit, she decided she wanted a little variety and so she purchased more outfits of similar design.

She replaced her functional white undergarments with a black silk bra and black silken panties. Next, she put on a black leather top and wore a black corset on the outside. A slim black skirt with a slit up the left side almost to her hip complimented the look, as did the black thigh high stockings and black knee high boots. A pair of black arm warmers, and some sterling silver jewelry of gothic appearance completed the look.

Most people believe that simply touching a cross burned a vampire's flesh, but in reality, Rei learned that unless the item is used specifically for the purpose of holding the undead back and is held by one who has faith, they do nothing. She could easily crush a wooden cross in her bare hands so long as it wasn't being forcefully presented to her. So she stuck with the religious theme by wearing a silvered crucifix and gothic cross earrings. A silver chain upon which hung another gothic cross hung was slung around her waist and hung on her right side, opposite the slit of her dress. Black lipstick and eye liner completed the look. Though her hair stayed the same color, it seemed to take on a darker hue whenever she dressed like this.

"You… are… beautiful," came the voice of her Sire. She smiled gently in response. "Looking forward to this evening I see."

"No more than any other," she responded.

"You seem proud of yourself. What have you done?"

Rei faced him and leaned against her wardrobe. "I've made my preparations for my back up plan."

"Back up plan?" he echoed. "You haven't even a primary plan."

"Oh, but I do," Rei responded. "And everything in both scenarios are progressing smoothly…."

**

* * *

That Moment**

Within the great reservoir that held the clones of Rei, everything on the surface appeared normal. Nothing out of place, unless you count the numerous floating, giggling clones out of place. Any normal person who looked upon this would likely be driven mad, especially if they knew the truth about the fluid they floated in. But such were the secrets of NERV…

One single clone in the far back of the great reservoir stopped giggling suddenly. She looked at herself with a seemingly confused look before holding her right wrist before her. Her mouth opened as if not under her control and her teeth bared like a wolf. With a slight whimper she bit into herself with human teeth and tore out a chunk of her own flesh. In the warm LCL, her blood quickly poured out of her body. The filters quickly began to pull the offending blood out of the reservoir to prevent further contamination. Soon the stream of red leaving the girl had a definite end and a definite beginning. Her eyes began to close as blood loss over took the poor mindless clone who had yet to understand what it was she had done to herself… or why.

Her eyes closed and her breathing stopped , but the rest of the clones simply continued to float about and giggle on as if nothing were amiss. The cacophony would be maddening if it were not so beautiful. As the now dead clone floated in place she turned on her back and began to float upwards. The eyes still opened and staring lifelessly as thin, nearly invisible lines of blood red coalesced near her mouth and drifted into it. Seconds later a red glow began to become visible in her eyes. Her hands twitched as if coming back to life and her back arched as she took a breath of LCL. The hole in her wrist closed up as a pair of fangs grew in her mouth. Her body shuddered and an elongated hiss escaped her mouth.

Every single clone stopped giggling at that sound, and for the first time since the first clone was formed well enough to experience blissful ignorance, absolute silence reigned in the well of souls. As the now vampiric clone's eyes began to return to normal and all outward signs of vampirism disappeared, the giggling slowly began anew….

**

* * *

**

**5 Hours Later **

Maya awoke with a start. It was the 3rd time in as many nights. Her right hand fell upon her chest attempting to slow the pounding there. Again she was covered in sweat and knew her panties must again be stained…

It was the same dream. Every night now, she would have it… and she would continue to have it she realized, until the monster that haunted her was destroyed.

"What should I do?" she whispered. "What… must… I do?" Her eyes drifted towards the clock and she noticed the time on it… 3:16 am.

"_My grandfather taught me everything I thought I needed to know about vampires, but he never warned me of this. I should be dead, but the fact that I'm not means I'm either necessary or the creature is playing with me." _A vision of a raven haired woman in revealing dark clothing and glowing red eyes appeared in her mind, filling her with a mix of lust and fear._ "No! I'm mustn't run from this!"_

"He must have books or something I can learn from," she started as she stood up, "he was so knowledgeable about this."

Her grandfather died 3 years ago and she received a large box of his personal effects. It was a collection of items willed to her that he felt she needed to have. Maya had also received a generous portion of his estate which she now keeps as emergency funds if something goes horribly awry. She opened her closet and took hold of the large box pulling it out. Something was weighting it down, and it was more than the collection of photos and papers.

Digging though it she came across a large case, almost three and a half feet on a side, square on top and almost 6 inches deep. It was wrapped up in a thick piece of canvas.

"What the…" She had never noticed this item the first time she went through the box. Something of this size should be rather hard to miss as it took up almost the entire bottom of the box. She carefully removed it, feeling the items above shifting down when she did and placed it next to her on the ground. Whatever it was, it was a little heavy. She took her time removing the canvas and was a little taken back by what she saw.

That the case was massive was already established. It was relatively simple in design but covered in a black lacquer finish. On the top, a massive gold cross was painted into it with gothic stylizing. She gently ran her fingers over the cross in wonder. _"I wonder what's inside…"_ She reached under the front lip and lifted the top lid of the case.

Inside the case was soft felt surrounding several objects including a Silver Edged Wakazashi complete with black lacquered wooden sheath, several wooden stakes crafted of finest oak, several flasks of a clear liquid marked with crosses and a set of silver edged kunai knives. It was as if someone took an eastern vampire hunter's arsenal and crossed it with one from the west. A seam in the middle of the case caught her attention. Reaching her fingers into it and sliding them apart revealed another layer. This one contained a black cross bow, a quiver with silver tipped bolts, an attachment for the crossbow that allowed it to fire stakes instead of bolts and a book written in a western language she couldn't read.

"My grandfather was a vampire hunter?" _"How could I have not known about this?"_ She stared at the items with both shock and fear. "What am I supposed to do with this? I'm no hunter. Why did he send this stuff to me?!"

She tried not to upset herself further but ever since her very first experience with vampires, her tears came and went of their own accord. "I have to be strong. First thing's first… I must get in contact with my uncle. Maybe he knew something about my grandfather's 'side job'." The only thing she knew for certain was that it would be a cold day in hell before she used what was in that case herself.

**End of Chapter III**

* * *

Sanguis meus fervidus est,

Sanguis meus avidus est,

Sanguis tuus suavis est,

Sanguis tuus iucundus est

* * *

A/N: Last updated 11/27/2009


	4. Evolution, Part I

A/N: Warning: This chapter contains some minor lemon content. Reader discretion is advised. Author is not responsible for any short circuiting keyboards.

A/N: Disclaimer: I own nothing....

* * *

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Bloodlust**

**IV: Evolution, Part I**

**

* * *

**

The Ropes End is a popular Goth Club located in Downtown Tokyo-3. Not only does it serve as a gathering place for the small gothic population of the city but also for the small population of Vampires that live in the city… Vampires that have no wish to be found by mortals. Many of these Vampires have their own "cattle"… Goths who know who they are and willingly give them their life's blood to sustain their existence. A few do it for other reasons, feeling pleasure from the act as does a certain NERV technician.

While Vampires themselves tend to be territorial, here is neutral ground. But there is one Vampire in the city who does not care about any tenuous peace and simply wants them out of her city. A few nights ago, she paid them a visit and told them to get out of town but they simply laughed her off. Tonight, there would be a reckoning.

As the night wound on, the Vampires became more comfortable, thinking nothing of the events of a few nights ago when a small blue haired Vampire threatened all of them with doom. With Tristania playing on the speakers, they indulged in Gothic blood and trancy lyrics…

_In decadence, I take thee by the hand_

_Too frail… to gain the promised land_

_Too frail… to take your pain away_

_Too frail… a sequel of decay_

As the first of what promised to be many songs of the night faded out, a shout of pain echoed from the back causing the nine other Vampires in the room to turn. And there they saw her.

Rei's eyes were glowing red, voicing her displeasure. She was dressed in the same outfit she wore that night she was first there; black leather top, corset on the outside, slim black skirt with a slit up the left side, knee high boots and sterling silver jewelry. The few differences were in the accessories, instead of the cloth arm warmers, she wore heavy harden leather arm guards with metal platted backing, her knee high boots were partially armored as well over the toe, ankle and knee. No trench coat this time either, but she carried two sheathed wakazashis and something closer to a Daikatana across her back. The sheathes on all weapons were black lacquered wood and looked expensive.

They saw one of their friends looking down at his chest dumbfounded at the wooden steak that was protruding through it. He was stabbed from behind. Before the others could react, Rei grabbed one of her wakazashi and drew it. In the same motion she cut across the impailed vampires neck, severing his head from his body in one clean stroke. As the head fell and the body began to follow, it all quickly turned to ash and a few blackened bones. The sound created by the quickly disintegrating undead was like a heavy exhalation punctuated by the sound of the wooden steak hitting the hard dance floor. Her blade now exposed was black carbon steel with a blood red edge.

"You were warned," was all she said as she drew the second blade and leaped at the next vampire. So stunned was the target that he barely managed to move as Rei drove her feet into his hips and before kicking off, cross slashed with both blades across his throat. Her kick-off pushed her into a back flip just as the target was turning to dust. The exhilaration began to run though her veins like wildfire, kicking her neglected undead adrenal gland in to high gear.

But before the second target even fully disintegrated she launched into another forward leap, inverting as she went into a side spin taking two more heads at the apex of her jump. The remaining six finally got themselves moving drawing weapons and taking more defensible positions. But with three dusted in just over as many seconds, their morale was shaken.

Gunshots rang out in the club causing a mass panic as those not of the undead persuasion began to flee the club. Rei threw herself into another charge heading for the one at point ducking the bullets and lashing out across his stomach with her right handed blade. He dropped his gun and buckled over as his undead guts almost spilled out onto the dance floor. But as he leaned down to protect himself, Rei continued her spin like a dancer and slashed upwards with her left handed blade taking his head off.

In the same spin she angled back dodging another volley of bullets then side flipped over another vampire. At her apex she again lashed outwards with her blades taking another head. As she landed she slashed upwards taking the hand off of a vampire wielding a machine gun before cutting him in half and taking his head as his upper body began to fall. The dismembered pieces began to discorporate into ash as she threw both her blades at two attempting to reload their machine guns. With wakazashis stuck in their throats causing intense pain, this task was abandoned.

Drawing her Daikatana as she rushed forward, her focus was locked on the only other armed target, who responded by lashing out with a blade of his own as she closed. Rei ducked under it and rammed into the guy without breaking her charge until after impact, then knocked the blade from his hands with a quick spinning strike. He tried to draw another weapon but Rei had managed to pin him to the wall with her blade. He suddenly found his neck ripped opened as she jumped on him and began to feed.

One of the throat-impaled vampires managed to get the blade out of his throat and dropped it to the floor. He held his throat and looked back at the other vampire only to see Rei latched on to him and draining him. As the last drops of blood were taken Rei turned back towards her other targets and ripped the Daikatana out of her meal. The addition of blood running from her mouth and down her exposed neckline only made her look even more feral. Unlike the decapitated bodies, the one she ate hit the ground and shriveled up like a mummy.

The target holding his throat backed off and watched as Rei re-sheathed her Diakatana. As she passed the other one she stabbed though the throat she ripped the blade out of his neck, severing his spinal cord and killing him as well. This last target had a look on his face that exemplified the fact that he was the last one, and death was stalking him.

"You," she hissed. "You are the lucky one. You get the spread the word. Only me and my sire are allowed in this city. If I catch any other lowlife Vampire crawling around here, they suffer the same fate as these nine. Understand?"

Unable to talk the Vampire nodded vigorously.

"Get out. Get the word out. If I see you in my city after tonight … kiss your undead ass goodbye."

Wisely, he left.

There was silence at first then the sounds of a single person clapping. She turned to see her Sire walking onto the dance floor where she dispatched her targets.

"Impressive… impressive…" he said. "You'll make many enemies with that attitude, but I'm confident you can take care of yourself."

Rei smiled and began to reach down for her other Wakazashi and noticed it started rocking back and forth quickly. She stopped then reached out for it again and it flew up into her hand. Surprised, she almost dropped it.

"Interesting," her Sire said softly. "Telekenesis… only very strong vampires are supposed to be able to attain that caliber of ability. And even then they do so only though magic."

Rei was about to question this when her hearing picked up the sound of approaching sirens.

"We must go," she said. On her way out, she cut off the mummy's head, dusting him as well.

**

* * *

**

**The Next Day  
**

For the last hour, Maya was staring at her phone… finally after all her deliberation, she picked it up and dialed a number.

It rang twice… then a voice came over the line.

"Hello."

"Uncle Suoji? Its me."

"Ah, my beautiful niece. It has been a while. I was beginning to think you forgot about your family."

"Sorry, I've been out of touch for so long." Maya felt her cheeks turning a little red from personal embarrassment.

"It is quite alright. I get the feeling that this is not a social call though."

"Sort of is, but mainly not. I was wondering about my Grandfather."

Silence.

"Uncle… I know he was into something big, more than any antiques dealer would normally be into. I have to know." She bit her lip and waited. A few seconds later, her uncle finally responded.

"You found the box he left you."

"Yes."

"And you opened it?"

Maya held her breath for a second before she responded, "Yes." Her voice a little quieter, as if someone could be listening.

"I guess there is no avoiding this then. Are you still living in that little apartment in Tokyo-3?"

"Yes."

"I'll be there shortly. Do you have any green tea by the way?"

"Of course."

"Good. See you soon."

Click.

**

* * *

**

**1 Hour Later**

Maya was dressed in one of her nicer dresses, a blue sundress that reached her knees. It has been a while since she had family over so she wasn't sure how to handle it. She'd never been that close to her family but she was close to Hirotomi Ibuki, the Grandfather in question.

Her doorbell rang and she was right there to answer it. She didn't want to keep him waiting. When the door opened, she gasped in surprise. Apparently he decided to come prepared…

He stood at the door wearing a long black trenchcoat with midnight blue trim, a wide brimmed hat, similarly designed, and black gloves covering his hands. What little of the pants she could see appeared to be some form of military fatigue though all black and tucked into his boots military style. His boots were also completely black with metal shields over the outside of the toes, heals and back. He looked like he was ready for urban warfare though the hat was an interesting choice. She's not sure she would have gone that way.

Wasting no time, she invited him in.

"Thank you Maya," he said and removed his hat as he walked in. Reaching down, he pulled a pair of hidden zippers on his boots and slipped out of them, observing the traditions of the house. Then he stepped forward and gave her a hug.

Maya basked in it for a moment. It was the first really friendly, welcoming gesture she'd received in a while… and the first bit of true comfort since the incident. Thinking about that caused her to shiver.

"Are you alright Maya? You're trembling."

"No," she said truthfully. "I'm not alright. I don't know how this is going to sound but since you knew about grandfather's side job… I have to assume it won't sound that far out in left field. About four days ago… I was attacked by a Vampire in NERV."

Her uncle's face took a serious turn when she said that.

"Problem is… I don't remember it…." Her voice trailed.

Her uncle reached into his coat and pulled out a small white object that appeared round. He then gently took her hand and placed it into it, pressing it down slightly.

"Does this burn?"

"No," she replied calmly. He nodded and put it away.

"Then you are lucky. The Vampire did not baptize you with his blood."

"That is a relief!" she said cheerfully. "But I've had nightmares ever since then… nightmares about being attacked and drained to death." She decided to leave out the part where she enjoyed it for the most part. "I always wake up at the same time too."

"3:16 in the morning?" he asked.

Maya looked at him shocked. "How did you know that?"

"Revelations 3:16; So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot: I would spue thee out of my mouth."

"I don't understand," she replied.

"You will soon enough, come."

A few minutes later, with hot green tea in their hands, her Grandfather told her the tale.

"Our order is ancient… said to have its roots in biblical times and of all places, Asia Minor. The eldest of the order were members of the Church of Laodicea… Laodicea was a Roman Province established before the changeover between BC and AD, before Christ, if your Christian.

"After the book of Revelations was written, several members of the Church of the Laodicea were quite irate. As it was written though… it was true. Neither hot nor cold but lukewarm. What that really meant was the church was neither zealous nor completely lax. So a small collective calling themselves the Ordo Exterminatus began a purge, trying to remove any taints of corruption or insincerity.

"History never documented the purge because most historians believed it was the work of barbarian tribes. Their brutality was beyond measure, beyond reason and beyond quenching. Eventually they began to calm down but it took several hundred years. They needed a new target otherwise they would simply disappear from lack of need.

"It was around that time that members began to search out other forms of corruption beyond the boundaries of the church and the citizenry. Eventually they began to hunt one of the most ancient forms of the supernatural… werewolves. Again however, the zealotry was too great, and innocent Shamans from peaceful civilizations fell to their silvered weaponry and their torture. It wasn't until during the crusades that the Ordo Exterminatus was itself purged out. Though a few of the less zealous surviving members did manage to live though it and pass on the knowledge the order had managed to attain.

"Quietly, during the dark hours of the night, new recruits would be inducted into the order but its name changed to reflect this. Calling themselves Night Hunters, they continued where the Ordo Exterminatus left off, searching out corruption and the supernatural. However they learned their previous lessons and calmed down quite a bit. Everything was much more organized. But even this group was not meant to last forever. One member remained after the turn of the millennium and he kept the secrets passed though the first born of his family, be it male or female.

"Then came the rise of Count Vlad Tepes Dracula. His evil was great, and he spawned many more of his kind during is reign of terror. In time the world had a new menace to deal with… one we now call Vampires. The last herald of the Night Hunters found 8 people whom he could trust and trained them in the ways. They met always at Midnight and their rituals and meetings always took 3 hours and 16 minutes to finish. It was about this time that they renamed their team, The Midnight Order. Which is what we are known by today by the few who know of us.

"Since then the order has existed in this form. New members are trained all the time… but only the best become members of the order… and fewer still are… initiated."

"What do you mean by initiated?"

Her uncle smiled. "Something for another time I'm afraid. After you have made your decision."

Maya became nervous at that thought. "What decision?"

"You have the potential Maya, whether you see it in yourself or not. It lies below the surface in your very soul… beneath the fear, beneath the doubt there is the heart of a true hunter. One that can tell good from evil, right from wrong, one who can judge not just on the basis of appearance but on the weight of their deeds. Someone we need in The Midnight Order. So the choice is to endure and ignore the calling, or embrace it… as your Grandfather did before you."

Maya thought about it, looking fearful… she was about to say something when her uncle broke the silence.

"Well, you know how to contact me. I must go now. Take your time and let me know of your decision."

**

* * *

**

**POV Switch: 3****rd**** Person**

Deep within Terminal Dogma, the great reservoir of Rei Clones was once again alive with activity. Rei had managed to push part of her essence into the holding pen for her soulless sisters, her manipulations were complete. Or so it seemed… The Vampire clone floated merrily within the LCL, giggling along with her sisters and nothing out of the ordinary seemed to be happening.

Suddenly in the gloom she stopped giggling and only smiled sadistically. Her fangs extended and her eyes glowed red. The nearest clone to her suddenly found herself in the clutches of the Vampire yet continued to giggle as if nothing was wrong… right up until the moment it was held from behind and bit into by her Vampire sister. Then her face suddenly became fearful, eyes widened in shock as the initial piercing pain struck the right side of her neck. If anyone had seen the creation of the first of the Vampire clones, that look would have been eerily familiar… the same look was on the Vampire's face after she gave herself a fatal wound before transforming.

Then her eyes rolled back into her head as her body shook with ecstasy. Fear and pain were gone, replaced only be joy and lust. As the Vampire sister continued to drain her body, the mindless clone writhed out of pure instinct and animalistic passion. The Vampire sister indulged her by running her right hand down the sister's frame, tracing the gentle curves of her body. As her entire being shuddered more from the continued attention, she traced her fingers downward, eventually stretching across her most sacred place, her thin middle finger sliding easily in the slick LCL along the glistening slit. Her left hand fell upon the clone's left breast, gently tracing and teasing every sensitive spot she could locate.

Despite the loss of bodily heat retention from the drained blood, the LCL felt hotter and hotter to the victimized clone, increasing her physical sensitivity rather than allowing the nerve endings to dull. As the clone began to orgasm, the left hand of the Vampire Sister left her breast and she found the wrist before her. On instinct rather than vampiric impulse, she bit into it hard enough to draw blood as her orgasm hit its absolute peak. Vampiric blood leaked into her mouth as she expired from blood loss, instantly beginning the reanimation process.

Just as quickly, the clone was pulled away from the wrist. The newly created vampire writhed in a mix of agony and ecstasy as she was turned around. The older vampire cut herself just above her left nipple forcing the clone onto the breast. She wasted no time in beginning to suck for all she was worth bringing pleasure to her sister at the same time she was receiving what she needed to complete the unholy transformation.

The aggressor guided the other's hand down to her own apex and she complied in kind. Within minutes, the frantic draining combined with equally frantic and seemingly unguided finger work brought the original over the edge as the newly turned clone slowed her drinking and passed out, releasing her sister's now sore breast. The Vampiric clone breathed a sigh of relief as she floated in the darkest part of the reservoir with her newly turned toy. Just before the newly turned clone's eyes closed, one could almost see a flash of unnatural intelligence…

**

* * *

**

**Thousands of Miles Away  
**

Around the time of the Jet Alone incident, the Second Child was preparing her supplies and her collection of stuff for her trip to Japan. In her mind, it was about time she was called. She had heard that 3 attacking angels had already been defeated by an inferior pilot. It was time she had her chance in the spotlight. She knew she was the best, and she knew her time was coming.

Tonight however, she would have some fun. Dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a tube top, she left her modest apartment and headed for downtown Berlin.

She spent several hours bouncing between various clubs before getting bored around 4 in the morning. On her way back to her apartment, she sensed she was being followed. Inwardly she smiled… whoever it was, they had no idea what they were in for if they messed with her.

She decided to coax her pursuers, by talking a 'shortcut' through an alleyway. They didn't disappoint her.

"Hey little girl, where you going so late in the evening?"

"Home," she said. "What do you want?"

"Well since you're here, we thought we'd have a bit of fun first." She heard a few chuckles and knew what they were talking about. As if she needed to a reason to kill ignorant men… She decided to make a good show of it though and escaped into the maze like back allies she knew where there. They pursued her like rabid animals making noises like them to boot. She was going to enjoy this!

Eventually she found herself 'caught' in a dead end, and turned to face her attackers. She couldn't help but smile at them.

"Why you playing hard to get little girl," the leader said. He was an enormous man with a long chain wrapped around his right arm and dressed in black leather.

"Just he thrill of the chase," she said. The lack of fear from her seemed to take him back. "Of course, this chase was a bit reversed."

"How do you figure," he growled becoming impatient.

"Because in a few moments you'll all be dog food," she growled out as her eyes shifted towards and animalistic red.

"What the hell?!" he exclaimed as her canine teeth extended followed and her face seeming to lengthen. Her entire body grew almost 3 feet in a matter of seconds, sprouting red fur as fiery as her own hair. The sounds of bones cracking and realigning reverberated though the alley as she growled her challenge. Her legs shifted, her shoes already removed before the transformation even began. Her muscles began to grow as well making for an athletic and toned body.

The moment the transformation ended, she pounced on the leader. The other members were frozen in horror as she bit his head off in one chomp. Fight or flight instincts took over and they decided fight was the better option, at least at the moment. Knives were drawn, pipes held up and chains twirled. There must have been at least 15 punks here and they were not backing down, even after the monstrous display before them.

Asuka roared her challenge… her fangs dripped fresh blood as she stalked towards the next nearest target. He charged her slamming her with a heavy lead pipe. She caught it and raked across his body with her claws, splitting his chest open. The rest rushed in with their various weapons hoping to cause enough damage to take her down, but they lasted just as long. Claws slashed, chains spun, knives sliced and teeth bit flesh. The harder they tried to fight, the stronger this monster seemed to become.

They were being torn apart… limbs flew into solid walls missing their owners, blood spilled in torrents, bones snapped and shattered… The injuries inflicted on this she/wolf seemed to be a momentary distractions at the most as she bit, tore and dismembered each of her assailants in kind. There was no mercy… no quarter given… none was expected… just a berserk frenzy and a bloodlust rivaled only by the most vicious of Vampires. She tore one in half over her head and showered herself in its blood. Another she completely dismembered, throwing the body parts at his comrades. Eventually the sickening display of gore shattered the morale of her enemies and they tried to escape.

That was when she started having fun. Asuka did not escape down this alleyway, she chose it specifically for how confusing and nearly impossible to navigate it is if you don't know it well. This was especially true if you were running for your life. She chased them down one by one taking them down and forcing them to scream before she killed them. Sniffing the air she smelled their fear and tracked them down. No matter where they would try to hide, she would find them. Finally, only one remained…

She tracked him all the way back to the beginning of the alley system… and he was making a break for it. She ran full speed after him, and he had no chance of escape. She threw him back into the alley and pounced on him, sinking her teeth into his flesh. His screams echoed though the alleyways….

With all the noise one would assume someone would have heard something. Asuka however was smarter than that. This part of Berlin was abandoned, now only hobos and other vagrants would inhabit here, and none of them would talk about what they saw… who would believe them anyway?

She fed on him until he finally died then left the rest to rot. Asuka only liked eating meat that was still moving. Running though the alley, she made sure that none of the punks were alive and all were accounted for. Satisfied, she began to relax returning to human form slowly. Her skin was bloodstained and her cloths were ruined. Heading back to where the violence started, she retrieved her sneakers then entered a nearby door she had the key for.

Inside was a boiler room with an industrial wash bin. Stripping herself naked, she washed the blood off of her toned body, it was a body she was proud off. She had filled out quite nicely over the past year, even her werewolf form kept much of the physique. After washing herself down to remove all the blood she pulled open a cabinet and found a duffel bag.

Asuka had got into this routine months ago. She'd find a nice abandoned area with a high crime rate, especially if it was crimes against women, stake the place out during the day and find a place she could set up ahead of time that had what she needed. A suitable playground, wash facilities, a place to stash a spare clothing set, and a place to destroy the evidence.

Opening up the duffle, she found her spare set of clothing. Her yellow sundress, red shoes and new panties. She stuffed the bloodstained items and her old sneakers into the duffle bag then walked over the boiler. The machine still used a coal burning furnace to power it. Opening the side door, she stepped away from the blast of heat that escaped and threw the duffle into it as hard as she could. She retained a small amount of her were wolf strength in her human form so she was able to easily get it into the hottest part of the fire.

"Now for the bodies," she whispered. She went back to the cabinet and retrieved the only other item she stashed… a small purse. Carefully exiting the back door so she wouldn't step in any blood, she found a good sized dry spot and opened the purse. Inside was a rawhide pouch containing a special powder. She retrieved the pouch and closed the purse, slinging it over her shoulder. Then she opened the pouch and held a hand over the opening. She whispered a few words in an ancient tongue and the powder turned blood red.

Taking a moment to observe the rampage she smiled at her handiwork then began to toss about small amount of the powder. As it hit the bodies, they became enveloped in blue flame that burned them away to ash in a matter of seconds. The flames harmed nothing else except the bodies and their clothing. Blood pools instantly dried up leaving nothing behind. She proceeded though the alleyways, destroying every dismembered body she found in purifying flame.

That Asuka was not a normal werewolf was obvious. What wasn't was her mastery of Shamanistic and Druidic magic. Asuka was bitten when she was very young, and her guardian Kaji knew exactly what needed to be done. Kaji being a well connected individual had friends in the supernatural community, including a Germanic Werewolf Tribe and knew who to talk to. Asuka was taught everything she needed to know at a young age… and during that time, she took an interest in the mystical arts. By the time she turned 12, she was able to control her Lycanthropy flawlessly, and she knew almost as much as the Hierophants and High Shaman of the tribe. All were skills she would put to good use. Their teaching also instilled within her a strong sense of justice… they made her face her fears, face her inner demons, and conquer them all.

Never would she be a slave to her past… never. Though her mother's death will haunt her forever, she had gained the strength to move on. While the benefits of this were obvious, some took time to fully manifest.

The training made her even better at piloting EVA, achieving ever higher sync scores as time went on. Although this instilled within her a feeling of confidence, it also made her arrogant. She desired to live on the edge, desperately searching for life or death situations to get herself into and out of, if only to push the envelope. But for all that arrogance, she knew there were forces beyond her control in the world. In time she would seek to master them all but for now, she was content in to remain as she was.

Her deed now done, she put what was left of the powder away as the magic began to fade from it. With her canine senses, she was able to find every last drop of blood and scrap of flesh. Nothing remained except a few scattered improvised weapons. Satisfied, she headed home as the first rays of the sun began to peek over the clouds beyond the city's edge. By the time she got back into midtown, she could easily slip back into the crowd and no one would be the wiser… except perhaps Kaji… he always knew for some reason.

**

* * *

**

**Back in Japan  
**

As yet another night fell over the city, Rei was back at her usual spot, perched on the back of a chair. The cold air filtered though the window and spread itself around her, but she didn't feel it… even when she was alive she never felt it.

She had her own things to worry about, mainly the changes in herself. She had managed to infest a clone though distance and blood… now she could feel her clone's mind awakening, speaking to her though some telepathic link. The clone was leaching some of her intelligence from her, gaining a mind of her own yet still irrevocably linked to her. But the stranger part… now there were two. This she didn't count on.

When her Sire arrived she instantly spoke up.

"Things are getting even stranger for me Master."

"How so my young apprentice?" he replied. Rei was used to being called this now.

"My senses are becoming even sharper… bordering on Precognition. I can almost see what is going to happen next. My sisters in the well are slowly beginning to awaken."

He smiled. "Then you are ready," he said. "There is but one more lesson I can teach you, then you training is complete."

"What lesson is that?"

"The existence of magic."

Rei doubted such a thing existed. Never-the-less, her master obviously believed in it, and there were now to many things she couldn't logically analyze. "You mentioned it just shy of a month ago," she replied. "I have difficulty with the concept."

He chuckled at her comment. "So much to learn yet I can not teach you everything. Magic is very real, and also quite varied. Before technology became rampant, such power was not so strange. Each of the three sentient races of the world had access to two such forms of magic.

"Humans commanded Arcane Magic and Santeria, the magics of Science and God respectively. While Arcane Magic was driven by intense study of alchemical and mystical formulae, Santeria was driven by Faith and religious teaching… far more dogmatic then even the normal Christian rituals."

"The Werewolves have their own magics as well, Druidic and Shamanistic. Druidic magic relies on the balance of nature, and gets its power from the same source as Shamanistic Magic for the most part. The difference is Druidic focuses more on the environment and balance while Shamanism focuses on controlling the 4 primary elements to create the effect or empower the user."

"Then there is us," Rei interrupted. "So what power do we possess." The concepts seemed simply and intriguing, though she knew that to understand their deeper complexities would take much effort and time. If these were powers she could use to the benefit of her scenario however… _I must gain this power…_

Her Sire grinned and an unnatural sparkle seemed to appear in his eye. "We control the powers of Thaumaturgy and Necromancy. You have already practiced a bit of Thaumaturgy yourself when you turned one of your own clones from such a distance and so you know what it is already."

"Blood magic," she whispered. "How suiting."

"The other is also quite suiting of us. Necromancy is a form of magic that is similar in many ways to Arcane but is much more narrow in focus, and as such may be more powerful depending on who you talk to. Necromantic power allows you to speak with the dead, get information from bodies and bones… or animate corpses to do your biding. Ever wonder where the stories about Ghouls, Zombies and the Boogeyman came from?"

"So... not just old wives tales after all."

"Old wives had a tendency to know what they were talking about," he replied dryly. "And if what you have told me about your progress with your clones is true, then you have exercised some control over Necromancy as well. You have imbued at least one clone with a measure of sentience. Technically, without a soul, they were dead even before you turned the first one."

"But how is this possible? How is it that I have come to know how to do these things?"

"I've been thinking about that," he began, "and I think I know why you are able to command magic so easily. It is because of your Angelic side."

"My Angel half?" Ever since Rei was turned she wondered how someone with her unique genetic pattern would differ from the norm… she was finding out.

"Yes. The Angels have an immense amount of power behind them. As a result they must have magic of their own. Despite the fact that they are called Angels, I do not believe they are divine beings as we understand them. Never-the-less, even if the dogma is wrong, I have little doubt that they are part of the source of the divine energy inherent in Santeria."

"It is a lot to think about. But since I am undead, it would make sense as to why I don't use Santeria myself."

"I don't know about that." Rei wondered what he was talking about. "Let me explain… You told me that your senses were becoming sharper, clearer, almost bordering on precognition?"

Rei nodded, wondering where he was going with this. She still didn't really understand the nature of magic.

"Well Precognition is a form of Divination. Divination is a type of Arcane Magic but its more prevalent in Santeria… while almost non existent in any Vampire disciplines."

Rei thought about that. _This means that despite my status as an undead being… I can command my angelic power still?_

"Can you do me a favor?" she asked.

"What does my apprentice desire?"

"I need books on the Vampire Disciplines. Can you get me some?"

He smiled at her. "I thought you'd never ask." He checked his watch. "I can arrange a flight out to Transylvania during the afternoon and be back in Tokyo-3 in, say… 5 days."

"Thank you." Rei could feel the excitement building in her. _More tools at my disposal… this will make job even easier than I could have imagined._

"So can I ask what you plan to do while I'm gone?"

Rei smiled. "First thing's first. I'm still working on getting Shinji some courage. Perhaps I will have a chance to become one with him soon."

"Do you plan to turn him? That would certainly ruin Gendo's plans."

"I…" Rei felt a hollow feeling in her chest. Shinji was the most important thing to her, but could she damn him for all eternity as a vampire? Could she live without him if she didn't turn him? What if… Rei's mind was doing cartwheels in her skull...

She wanted to drink his blood, this was not in contention, she would do it eventually. But she never thought further than that. She loved him, as much as an undead creature could love a living being… and she certainly didn't want anything to happen to him. She could spend eternity with him, and that wouldn't be so bad… but would he even want to turn?

"I… don't… know…" was all she could reply.

"He would be better off as one of us," her Sire said levelly.

"I know that but…."

"Well, you don't have to choose just yet," he said, stopping her from racking her brain completely. We will discuss this more when I return.

"So do I still have to call you Master? Or Sire?"

He smiled at her. "No. You have learned all you can from me. I will provide you with more tools but I am your Master no more. You are my equal… my friend… my ally."

"So what do I call you now?"

He smiled at her. "Kenjiro."

**End of Chapter IV**

* * *

A/N: This chapter was planned with more stuff but it started getting long so I'll save some for next chapter. Tempest Aterna's latest chapter was a bit winded and I didn't want to repeat that.

So, Asuka's a Werewolf… so who didn't see that coming? No hands? I didn't think so. Yeah it's a bit cliché but I think I have enough twists in there to keep it interesting.

There are 2 reasons I did this; I wanted a yin for Rei's yang, and I wanted to portray Werewolves a bit differently and didn't want to do it in a different story.

The insertion of magic was also planned well in advance. While some of the mystical stuff might be a little dramatic like Asuka's "Bodies-Be-Gone" (patent pending), most of the magic use will be a lot more subtle like Rei's manipulation of the clones. Magic is powerful and if overused, it can dominate a story, which is why I'm trying to not abuse the privilege. Well, we'll see how that works out.

A whole lot of not much happened in this chapter and yet the story moves forward. I hope you enjoyed it.

Will I be adding more Supernatural entities? Probably, but not anytime soon, I have enough for now. We'll see how this runs for the time being.

Afterthought: Yeah I know Trancy is not a word... aparently according to both Word and Firefox, neither is Vampiric....


	5. Of Wolves and Bats

A/N: I still own nothing.

A/N: Although the word "Lycan" is mentioned, this is not an x-over with Underworld… and by the way, I don't own that either.

**

* * *

**

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Bloodlust**

**V: Of Wolves and Bats**

**

* * *

**

"_Must run away, must run away!"_

The Third Child had gotten himself in the habit of trying to face his fears… face that which threatened to swallow him whole like some massive biblical monstrosity. Lately that inference would seem like a bad pun, but in many ways, this is exactly the truth of it. Everything Shinji faced was like a massive biblical terror even if it was something as silly as asking a question. The normally reserved son of The Commander was getting better. His mantra of 'I mustn't run away' was easier to believe now and more easily followed.

Today though, discretion was definitely the better part of valor… especially when the thing you have to fear is not rejection, but a hairy, nine-and-one-half foot tall monster that resembled a cross between a man and a wolf. Shinji didn't know what it was, only that it apparently wanted to eat him, and The Third had no intention of becoming anything's midnight snack.

It started out simple enough. Misato needed a store run for more in house supplies, specifically bottled water and more sardines for Pen-Pen… however she was way too drunk to drive, so Shinji graciously offered to make the run for her… on foot of course as he was too young to drive.

That turned out to be a mistake… as he traveled though the market center of Tokyo-3, something got a whiff of him and smelled something he either really liked or really didn't like. Either way, he was now being pursued, though for some reason, it was taking its time, letting him get a head start.

It wasn't until Shinji ran into a deserted section of the city that he realized why. In his terrified attempt to escape the creature, he ran into the one place he shouldn't have… where there were no people. He tried to come up with a solution but before he could even start thinking about it, a growling sound snapped him out of his thoughts. His hunter had found him again.

So he ran... he ran as hard as he could… but the beast was far faster than he was. It rammed into him sending him flying into an abandoned car where he bounced off and ended up face up on the sidewalk. Shinji tried to get up but it was no use… his muscles refused to move. In horror he watched this thing stalk towards him ready to pounce and tear him to shreds….

But before it could close the distance a dark shape dropped between them drawing a pair of wicked-looking wakazashi. It took Shinji a full second to realize that the person standing before him was Rei… and even then, he scarcely believed what he saw. She was dressed in black; Partially armored over-the knee leather boots, tight leather pants, leather halter top crossed with a set of straps baring the sheathes for her weapons, bracers lined with 2 rows of 5 kunai knives each and fingerless gloves… and that was just what he could see. She held the blades to either side of her, holding them in reverse grips leaving an open stance as if taunting the monster.

"_I've got to be dreaming,"_ he thought. _"No way Rei is this badass."_

Rei launched herself forward on the pads of her feet going on the offensive… claws lashed out to meet her head on in a blur of movement. Rei nimbly dodged the attack to the right and lashed out across the arm of the beast… an attack that should have severed the arm but the blade failed to dig too deeply. Though Shinji did notice a thin line of smoke coming off of the beasts arm where it was wounded, almost as if the wound burned.

"_What in God's name is going on?!"_

The monster managed to catch Rei with a backhand throwing her into a car. A massive dent roughly the shape of her body suddenly appeared there and all 6 windows blew out from the force of the impact. Amazingly, Shinji noticed the car actually raised up on two wheels ever so briefly and thought that the impact killed her. He was surprised to find that not only was she still alive, she was pulling herself out of the car and hissing.

"_Wait… hissing?"_

He got a look at her face this time. Her eyes were actually glowing red, just like the monster… and her hiss was punctuated by a pair of visible sharp canine teeth of her own giving her a slightly feral look. He was distracted by the vibration in the ground as the monster stomped and howled its challenge.

Howled like a wolf….

"I hate these things," Rei deadpanned. Hearing her voice, Shinji now had no doubt that he had finally gone mad. It actually was her, and somehow she had become a warrior both in and out of an Evangelion....

**

* * *

27 days ago….**

He braced himself against another hard slam to his Evangelion as the blue half of the 7th Angel threw him into another destroyed building. Asuka was already down, far too close to it when it split. It looked like the UN would have to step in and drop the N2 after all.

Two against one just wasn't fair, the odds stacked against him too well. As his clock ticked off the last 10 seconds of power he had left, he wondered if he would even survive to see what happens next.

Suddenly the Angel stopped attacking. He looked in time to see the Angel suddenly get grabbed by a pair of half-melted hands and thrown from him. Screaming could be heard over the communications unit on his EVA about how Rei shouldn't be out there. He saw that Unit 00 was only partially reconstructed with a mix of the new blue armor and the still melted older plates.

Shinji switched to low power mode so he could see what was happening. She was weaponless but taking on the Angel with no fear in her at all. Both halves of the angel attacked but she was moving too fast for them, ducking and dodging attacks that should have been sure hits. A cross shaped blast blew her power cord apart and she ejected the connector as dead weight.

Her attacks were expert, a dance of death both graceful and violent at the same time. Soon she managed to get them to merge again by herding them into one spot. As her timer reached the final seconds she thrust forward with both hands and punched straight through both halves of the dual-core simultainously… the Angel went down, not even having enough time to self destruct before its life was extinguished. Unit 00 stepped back once step then hunched over as its power expired but stayed balanced.

**

* * *

The Present….**

Rei launched into another assault against the massive form of this monster lashing in a dance of death reminiscent of her battle nearly a month ago, only this time she was armed. The monster lashed at her again with a downward stroke only to get lashed across the chest with a pair of blade strikes that cut deep enough to scrape bone even though the thick muscle in its chest. It kept up its assault despite the numerous blade wounds it was receiving finally catching its target with a swipe across the mid section followed by a backhanded swipe across her face.

"Ayanami!" Shinji yelled as he saw the lines of blood appear to fire off of her body in two directions. The monster's left handed claws extended to a length that appeared to exceed 2 feet and slammed them though Rei's abdomen causing her to scream in pain and drop her weapons. The claws stained crimson as they exited her back

"No!" Shinji screamed as she was lifted into the air by the wound. The monster's right handed claws extended as he prepared to behead her. Rei stopped yelling in pain and and twisted her right wrist causing a long blade hidden in the bracer to pop out under her hand parallel to her forearm. As the monster lashed out to take her head, she lashed upwards severing his arm near the elbow.

In its pain he threw her off of his claw sending her flipping though the air trailing 4 lines of blood behind her. But she was able to correct her mid air movement and landed in a low 3 point stance. Before the beast could recover she charged in slamming the blade into his chest and using the momentum to propel herself into a backflip. She twisted in mid air as she did so, breaking off the blade and using the beast's mussel to get onto its back.

The beast thrashed about in pain and in an attempt to get her off. Rei's eyes flared and her teeth glistened in the light. To Shinji's surprise she suddenly bit down though his thick flesh and tore her head back tearing out a chunk of its flesh. A veritable fountain of blood shot into the air like a crimson geyser for a moment before Rei sealed her mouth over the breach and seemed to inhale the blood escaping.

Thrashing almost mindlessly now, the monster tried its best to get her off but she was latched on tight. Slowly the beast began to wear down until it finally collapsed face first into the pavement. Only then did Rei let go of the beast and stand up to her full height, blood was pouring out of her numerous wounds. As she stumbled, Shinji ran to her and helped her stay standing.

"Thank you Shinji-kun," she said weakly and appeared to be concentrating on something.

"Rei! We have to get you to a hospital or you'll bleed to death!"

"Why?" she asked. Shinji was about to protest her odd line of questioning when he saw something that almost made him drop her. The massive slash marks across her face were closing right before his eyes seeming to leak ash instead of blood. He looked down unable to speak out of sheer shock and watched as the blood dripping from her abodomen was reduced to a trickle and finally stopped as the gashes were reduced to mere cuts and slowly healed over, producing more ash.

"R-Rei…. I know you heal fast… but this… this is… impossible…."

Rei looked away for a moment and Shinji wondered what was wrong with her… her teeth were strange and her eyes glowed. He understood none of it, but his biggest heart attack was yet to come. He helped her take a step as apparently she hurt her leg at some point during the encounter and his eyes fell upon the glass window of the shop the battle took place in front of. Aside from the excessive amount of blood dripping from the window, the other thing amiss was the fact that he could see his own reflection… but not Rei's….

"Rei," he whispered. "Why don't you have a reflection?"

Rei looked in the direction of the window and a realization seemed to come over her.

"Shinji-kun," she whispered back. "We… have much to discuss."

As the pair made there way back towards Rei's part of town, the body of the Werewolf shifted into a human corpse. In this part of town, no one would find it.

**

* * *

Romania…**

The day was almost over… the sun setting over the Carpathian Highlands as the last few members of The Midnight Order that were supposed to be here tonight were arriving.

The last 4 weeks have been a strange set of affairs for Maya. First she became indoctrinated into the order by a friend of her Uncle Hirotomi. That was a simple swearing in, but the Second was the constant training. It cut into her sleep as she returned to work at NERV to avoid suspicion. All throughout this training she was told to take vitamin supplements, change her diet and also drink a special tonic they gave her. She was under strict orders to take it religiously, though she had no idea what it was for.

Last week she learned at least part of what it did for her. Her reaction time had increased significantly and her body was developing more tone likely a result of both the dietary requirements of the order and their extreme training regiment. But when she did a little research and found that she was the equal of several Olympic gold medalists she started to question just what they were doing to her.

She had been patient however, for she knew today she would get her answers. The leader of the order will be here soon and she would hear it from his mouth directly. Ever since she learned about the order and was allowed to join them, she wondered what kind of a man controlled this organization.

Maya stood on top of a large rock overlooking the highlands. Behind her was a small manor house used by the order as a meeting place on special occasions like this one. A new member was being initiated into the inner circle, namely her, and only the organization's leader can approve of such an action.

The wind began to kick up as a private helicopter approached. Maya watched as it swiftly descended, seeming to waste little time as it circled once then landed. The door opened and a man stepped out wearing a black trench coat and wide brimmed hat, his hair had long since turned white so she could tell he was older but his face did not betray that. To Maya, he appeared as if he could be no older than his late thirties at most.

Maya marveled at this sight….

Hirotomi walked up next to her. "Not what you were expecting?"

"Not really and yet… he seems so commanding." She watched him, inwardly desiring to be that calm and collected. "Who is he?"

"His name might surprise you…. Doctor Abraham Van Helsing."

Maya could not contain her shock. "That's impossible! He must be hundreds of years old!"

"One hundred and Sixty actually," he said calmly. "You'll understand soon enough…."

Thirty minutes later, Maya was seated at a large round table directly across from where the leader would be sitting. Nervously she shifted in her chair as she waited. Other members were talking amongst themselves and Maya could only covet their calm as she waited for the meeting to begin.

Finally, the man entered and the low din of conversation was replaced by applause. He didn't have his hat this time. His hair seemed longer than she thought it was, reaching past his shoulders and neatly tied back in a single low tail. He raised one hand to try in vain to quite the crowd as he placed his hat on the table. Maya didn't even notice he was holding it until now.

"Thank you," he began as he sat down and the clapping began to quickly die. "Everyone. This is an auspicious occasion. Today Maya Ibuki has been given the opportunity to take her grandfather's place in the Inner Circle of the order."

Maya blushed as he gestured towards her while saying her name. The sudden attention was uncomfortable and was only worsened as they began clapping again.

When they stopped, Van Helsing continued. "Maya Ibuki, I for one am glad to finally met you at last. Certainly you must have many questions for us. Tonight we hope to resolve all of them."

Maya hated being put on the spot but she decided there were too many things she needed to know to let her shyness interfere this time. She decided to start at the one that was most pertinent to her own mind.

"Are you the very same Van Helsing who faced Dracula over a hundred years ago?"

"I am," he said with no pause. "You must be wondering why I'm still alive after all these years." She nodded. "Then look behind you."

Maya turned and saw that the wall was dominated by a huge mirror…

… and Van Helsing was not in that mirror.

"Y-you're a… Vampire?" she almost squeaked. The sounds of laughing around her didn't really calm her at all. In moments it was quiet again.

"I am. Let me tell you a little story about my adventures… a story that will explain much.

"It all began in England in 1897. I'm sure you've heard of the terribly strange tale of Mina Harker, the girl who Dracula believed to be a reincarnation of his lost queen, Elizabeth. Though I managed to save her, the count managed to resurface five years later. Apparently, his penance was not yet completed. And so I tracked him down. It took me the better part of seven long years to finally catch up with him, but catch up with him I did… in America of all places.

"When this occurred I faced him but this time he was far stronger. I had help but none of them could stop him. Oddly, he didn't kill any of the men that aided me but he took me down and took me with him. Somewhere in that godforsaken city, he turned me. But rather than keep me his minion, he released me. I asked him why he did this to me, and he told me that he wanted to give me a portion of his power. He said there were many other vampires out there who did not respect mankind and had to be destroyed. He wanted no part of that war, preferring to spend the rest of his eternity wandering the world until the end times, when he would be allowed to return to God's grace.

"So we went our separate ways. In 1912, I met a member of the Midnight Order who recognized me from an older painting he invited me to join and 40 years later, I became the leader.

"But during that time, I discovered that Dracula not only gave me the power to fight the shadow but tools I could pass on. As you know, before I became a hunter of the undead, I was a doctor who specialized in obscure diseases of the blood. By experimenting with my own blood I was able to determine what qualities of vampire blood granted the power they wielded. So I distilled and purified it until I was able to derive a serum that granted a portion of my power to others without transforming them into vampires or ghouls. The inner circle and prospective members were then administered this tonic, along with a regimented exercise and diet specifically tailored to maximize the effect."

"Tonic… like the one I've been drinking for the better part of a month?"

He smiled at her. "Exactly. It is why you have become stronger, quicker, your mind sharper. But the effects are only temporary. Using alchemy, a skill I have been working with for the better part of 6 decades now, I have found a way to make the effects permanent. There is a ritual that will seal the power within you allowing you to take advantage of the effects for the rest of your life. I've projected that circle members who are not killed in combat can live up to 20 years longer than normal."

"Impressive," Maya replied. While she didn't understand chemistry, she knew her sempai did, and she had a chance to see what kind of things she worked on. So despite the fact that this was not her field, she hoped to learn a little about it, if for no other reason but to understand a little of what she was talking about. "What is the final step?"

"The final step is an alchemical infusion though the skin. We use a tattoo for this purpose. It needs to be delivered as close to the spine as possible so we normally scribe it in between the shoulder blades."

"I see," she said. "Ok, now for the important question rather then just the curiosities. What is it that the order does exactly?"

"The Midnight Order is the last word in relations between the three dominate species; Vampire, Lycanthrope and Human. It is important to know that not all Vampires are evil. That kind of racial profiling is typical of the fear generated by the superstitions passed though the ages. However it is a fact that the vast majority of Vampires are evil, self-serving and loathsome creatures. It is important to understand the difference between the ones are just trying to enjoy their eternity, and the ones that live to cause problems. Otherwise you are no better than them.

"This goes equally for Lycanthropes of all types be they wolf, fox or whatever. Lycanthropes… or Lycans if you really want to shorten it further, have varying temperaments depending on their parent animal breed. Foxes for example tend to be mischievous but not necessarily evil or cruel. Wolves are about 50-50. There are others but we can get into that later."

Maya nodded, letting him know she was keeping up.

"Humans can be just as much of a pain, if not more so. We have to watch for rouge mages there, and whenever possible, humans hunting an innocent of one of the other species. Although honestly it's the rogue mages that are the more dangerous.

"And it is precisely for that reason you need to learn at least some basic mystical skills, if for no other reason then to identify when it is being used."

"I understand," May interjected, "but I've never really believed in it. If you say its real though Dr. I believe you."

"But like me you need to see it first." He raised his hand off the table and turned it so that the palm was up. A blue flame ignited in the air above his hand casting a gentle glow in the room.

Maya's eyes widened at the sight. A part of her mind wanted to believe that it was some kind of trick. But blue flames are extremely hot and would burn out quickly without more fuel, and this one wasn't getting any fuel at all, yet it still existed.

"Neat!" she said despite herself. Then she turned red again as a few of the men at the table chuckled at her seemingly childish outburst.

"As good a description as any," Van Helsing replied as the chuckling calmed down. With a snap of his fingers, the flame disappeared. "I like you Maya, you have a lot of your Grandfather's intelligence and the potential to be even greater than him. I approve of your ascension into the Inner Circle."

Applause broke out around the table and Maya still felt a twinge of embarrassment at the sound, but now there was a glimmer of something else… pride. She had amounted to something more than a bookworm and a technical geek after all… and she knew that this was the beginning of what would be the greatest adventure in her life.

**

* * *

**

**Rei's POV…. 30 minutes after the fight....**

Though most of her wounds were gone by the time Shinji and her reached her apartment, the pain of the internal damage caused by the werewolf would take more time to heal. Shinji helped her onto her bed, letting her down gently as to avoid any further injury. Rei could tell he was still confused about everything that happened, and she wasn't sure how she was going to explain it all to him. She knew she could no longer hide the truth from him, but could he even handle it? Though she made great strides over the past five weeks towards making him stronger as a person, he was still fragile inside. A revelation like this could be devastating, even if (maybe even especially if) he didn't fully understand it.

"How are you feeling now," he asked her. The gentleness of his voice was something she had gotten used to. The Commander never really showed any real tenderness towards her and it was something she was desperately needing being a 14 year old girl with nothing in the way of real family to speak of.

"I will endure Shinji-kun," she replied. "We… need to talk about what happened tonight."

"Rei-chan… what was that thing?"

It surprised her that he didn't want to talk about her odd behavior or the fact that she didn't have a reflection or… well there were a lot of things that happened tonight. He didn't want to start with her strangeness, he wanted to know what tried to kill him.

"That was a werewolf," she deadpanned.

"Werewolf?! I-I thought that was just a myth! They exist?!"

"Yes, they exist. That was the second one I killed this week."

"Second? Rei-chan… what the hell is going on?"

She shrugged. "These things tend to kill first and forget about the questions entirely. Shinji-kun… how do you know about werewolves?"

"I remember part of a story my mother told me. I can't even remember what she looks like anymore but I remember stories about men who turned into monsters."

"Do you know what I am?"

"No," he deadpanned. "I… I wasn't going to ask about it until you were ready to tell me." The mere sound of his voice alerted Rei to the fact that he found her behavior this evening to be disturbing at the very least and downright terrifying at worst.

"I don't want to hide it from you anymore. Commander Ik… your father… hides things from you constantly. There are too many secrets at NERV and I am ashamed to say I am privy to many of them. But what I am is a secret even from them."

"They… they didn't make you this way?" he asked.

"No they didn't. Shinji-kun… I am not human. Not in the normal sense. I am an artificially created being that is half-angel."

Shinji's eyes widened at that realization. "I… I always knew there was something different about you… and I thought about how angelic you looked that night at Mt. Futago when we killed the 5th Angel." Shinji looked down for a moment, turmoil plain as day in his features but his mind was already made up. "I don't care about that," he whispered. "The Angels we fight are both horrifying and evil… you are neither."

Rei looked at him with hope glimmering in her eyes. _"If he could look past that perhaps I can show him more…"_

"That's not all. There are other big secrets about me you must know. I don't know how much of it you will be able to handle…."

"Hit me," he said confidently. "After getting attacked by a creature that should not even exist and finding out my girlfriend is some super soldier, whatever you could hit me with is bound to be minor in comparison."

"I hope you're right." Her voice lowered as she began talking again. "Shinji-kun, do you remember what your mother looked like?"

"No, father never kept any pictures of her and I was too young when she died… why?"

"Because in order to make me look human, your mother's DNA was used in my creation."

Shinji's eyes widened and inwardly Rei wondered if she made a mistake. "What?" he whispered.

"Shinji, I'm sorry… I can't keep this from you anymore." She feared she had truly broken him. _Too far...._

Yet apparently not far enough... she realized his temper was growing but where was it directed.

"You… Rei-chan… you have nothing to apologize for," he whispered harshly. "My anger is not pointed towards you… but towards my so-called father."Rei watched the anger boil in him, threatening to boil over completely. "It doesn't bother me that you have her DNA, it's the fact that he USED my mother like that… It's… it's like he violated her spirit! He's evil! I don't blame you…I could never do that Rei-chan. My father on the other hand… I have no doubt in my mind now that he is the purest of evil."

"If I had brown hair and blue eyes… I'd look just like her, at least that is what your father said once."

Shinji smiled at that thought and gazed on her, trying to imagine that. "I heard there was song that existed before 2nd impact whose words went something like 'I want a girl just like the one that married dear old dad'. I guess I took that a bit more literally than I should have."

Rei chuckled at that thought, though it was short lived.

"How much of my mother's genetics are in you?"

Rei looked down. "Less than 10 percent. Gendo was never able to fully realize Yui's chromosonal matrix and had to use mostly angelic DNA. That genetic coding is too unstable when modified without some kind of brace... the human DNA in me is suposed to do that. According to Doctor Akagi though, angelic DNA is 99 percent similar to our own."

"Facinating. You said there were three things about you, three secrets...."

"The third is something that happened before our… incident in my apartment."

Shinji blushed slightly, remembering that day.

"Shinji, I was... turned… I became something else entirely."

"What? What did you become?"

Rei reached out and gently took his hand and guided it to the left side of her chest inside her cleavage. Shinji's face turned a little red at first then suddenly his eyes widened.

"Rei! Where is your heartbeat?!"

"I do not possess one." She could see the fear in his eyes. "I was transformed. Rei Ayanami died in this room and was reborn as a creature of the night. I am… a vampire."

Shinji looked a little fearful as she spoke but his curiosity was winning over his fear, she could see that in his eyes. "What is a vampire?"

"A form of undead. We do not decay, and we do not age. We are very strong, very fast, can see hear and smell better than humans, and we even have access to supernatural powers."

"That… that really doesn't sound so bad. The lack of a heartbeat is kind of freaky."

"There is a catch though." Shinji looked at her. "Karma is not without its balancing factor. In order to stay alive we must feed. But we require a very special kind of food."

"Blood," he whispered. Rei could see the gears turning in his head. "You were feeding off of the werewolf that attacked me weren't you?"

"Yes," she replied. "We don't have to kill to feed but we do need to feed off of either a living being, a very recently dead one or another vampire. Additional blood helps us heal faster as you saw. "

"Maya," he whispered.

Rei's heart would have skipped a beat had it still been beating. She didn't realize he may have heard about that incident. "What did you say?"

"You attacked Maya in the ladies room about a month back didn't you? How come she didn't report you?"

"I… modified her memory so she wouldn't remember the incident," she answered. "Remember when I said we have access to certain supernatural abilities?"

"Rei… you never used your mind erasing ability on me have you?" he asked defensively.

"No… never… nor would I drink from you unless you allowed me to."

"I believe you." Rei perked up a bit when he said that. It proved at least that his trust in her was still there. He didn't seem too take aback by everything, even trying to keep a smile but there was an undercurrent of unease.

"Are you sure you're ok with this Shinji-kun?"

"Rei," he whispered, "I really don't know…. I mean any one of the three things you told me tonight I could handle… individually… maybe even two of them… depending on which two… but… this is a lot to take in…."

Now she was genuinely worried that she went too far… she could see that he had a lot on his plate. But she truly belived that her honesty would win him over. Perhaps it would take time.

"If you need time… I… I understand…."

Shinji nodded. "I better get home before they really start worrying about me. I'm probably already in trouble with Misato… and Asuka's probably cursing my name right now wondering why she doesn't have food yet." With that he left though he seemed to be in a little hurry.

"Shinji-kun!" she called out. He stopped at the door.

"I… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have piled all this on you at once, especially after what happened today." A small tear of blood escaped her left eye and began to trail down her cheek.

"Rei-chan… I like how there are no secrets between us." He walked back towards her. "I just need time to sort everything out ok?" He gently reached up and wiped away the single bloody tear from her cheek. "I need time to mill everything over in my head and get used to the idea. My feelings for you can not, and will not change. Just give me time."

Rei nodded though she could feel more tears threatening to fall. He smiled warmly and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek before leaving the apartment. Only after he was gone did she allow herself to full out cry. She barely even understood why she was crying.

**

* * *

2 hours later and halfway around the world….**

With the ritual completed, Maya stood up holding the sheet against her chest as the sound of clapping echoed though the chamber. Three of the 8 inner circle members were required during the ritual to complete the mark, not including Van Helsing himself. Though she was still a little embarrassed as she was showing more skin then normal, she also felt pride that this secretive group of men decided she was fit to join their ranks.

"Thank you my comrades," she said softly. "I am honored to become a part of The Inner Circle."

"Yes," Van Helsing agreed. Then he turned towards the other three. "Now shoo, she needs to get dressed. Stop thinking with your stakes."

Maya's blush intensified at the innuendo as she heard a few of them chuckling. It was a horrible pun and they knew it, but these men had to have a bit of fun somwhere. Maya knew how stressful and demanding this job was going to be, and what kind of a toll it would likely take on her. She wouldn't be surprised if her hair was as white as Van Helsing's within 3 years.

She stood up with the sheet over her front and walked towards the privacy screen. Though she needed to be bare from the waist up during the ritual, she was not required to completely disrobe so her jeans were still on, though her shoes were removed for comfort.

"So what happens now Lord Helsing?" she asked as she retrieved her bra and began to slip into it.

"Now you will return to Tokyo-3. We don't want you to drop your day job and we would like you to investigate this vampire that apparently has taken residence there."

"I had planned to look into it," Maya said with resolve in her voice.

"Keep in mind that the fact that this one didn't kill you when it attacked you could mean one of three things; its smart enough to know that killing would be a bad idea in such a place, it may not be evil and only attacked you to preserve its secret... or it likes you."

Maya blushed at that last one.

_I'd love to see what you're like in bed one day._

The faint memory grabbed at the edge of her consciousness, she still couldn't see anything… just a multicolored blur that made no sense but the voice… the voice was familiar somehow.

"What is it Maya, did you just remember something?"

She heard him approach but he stayed on his side of the privacy screen. Maya decided that somehow he sensed her confusion somehow. The fact that he always seemed to know when odd things like this happened around him was… unnerving. _"I have to remember his senses are sharper because he is a vampire."_

"I think so," she said, barely able to contain her blushing. "My attacker… I think it was a she… and I think she liked me."

"Interesting," he whispered. "Vampires are commonly passionate creatures, and many female vampires tend towards bisexuality." There was a minor sound from him that almost sounded triumphant. "Now Maya, I want you to concentrate. Think about where you were in the facility and what females would frequent that area. See if you can narrow it further. If you concentrate hard enough, you may be able to break though the mind blank placed on you and see the truth."

"I'll try, but I'd like to do it somewhere a little more… private?"

"Oh, are you thinking of trying to recreate the feel of the moment to allow greater clairvoyance?"

She was now cherry red. Although she knew Abraham Van Helsing was looking at it purely from a business perspective, the thoughts about reliving the moment that has made her perpetually horny for over a month both embarrassed and excited her at the same time. She just knew she would need to change her panties again soon.

"S-Something like that," she whispered sheepishly.

Van Helsing realized she must be becoming uncomfortable though he couldn't see her. "My apologies Lady Maya, I did not mean to embarrass you. I shall leave you in peace."

When she heard the door close she sighed in relief, then she opened her pants and gently push her hand down her panties to her private areas. She cringed a bit as she felt the wetness there.

"Looks like I'm changing my underwear after all," she whispered in dismay**

* * *

**

That Moment….

Shinji was incorrect. Asuka was not at home wondering where her food was… she was out on the town. She'd been here for a while now but she still hadn't gotten used to it yet. There were no large gangs of assholes she could prey upon… point of fact there really wasn't much… a few clubs and bars but that was it. This made for very boring evenings. So when something started to hunt her, she tried to recapture the feelings she acquired in the darkest parts of Germany.

She lead her pursuer down a back alley. There was only one, but it was better than nothing. Something was off though, he smelled odd to her yet somewhat familiar. Eventually she found herself at a dead end. She found herself thankful she was wearing the same type of outfit she wears when she needs to transform. With one target, maybe she could keep from getting blood all over it.

She turned and saw someone who was obviously a foreigner. He looked American wearing so much black leather. He was a big guy too with heavy musculature, black hair cut sort of short and piercing green eyes.

"Gotcha," he said.

"You don't know what you have here mister," she hissed.

"Soryu Asuka Langley," he started making her heart skip a beat. "By order of the High Counsel of the Steel Jaw Tribe you are to be terminated." As he said that, he stripped off his trench coat revealing that he did not wear a shirt beneath it. His muscular body covered in Tribal tattoos and markings.

"Scheiße," she whispered as she realize what she was dealing with as he began to growl and sounds of rearranging bone and flesh echoed in the alleyway. So she did the only thing she could do at that point… she shapeshifted herself.

Within moments both were fully transformed into the were-forms and charged each other. Asuka was a bit smaller than her opponent but she had the speed advantage, easily dodging most of his attacks while planting a few swipes in well placed areas along his abdomen. She kept dancing around his attacks placing counterstrikes where she could, but eventually her luck ran out and the monster bit down on her right shoulder.

Asuka roared in pain as blood poured out of the wound. She tried to get loose but he was far to strong for that. With a whip of his head, she was sent flying into the 3rd floor of one of the buildings forming the alley, leaving a massive dent on the hard wall before falling 3 stories onto a trash pile. As she got up the other one charged at her again. This time she ducked under the jaws and slammed both sets of claws into his stomach. When the creature threw his head back to roar, Asuka went for his throat but only managed to catch the side of his neck. With a rip, she tore open the artery there. Blood shot into the air as the creature roared and fell back beginning to slowly change back into human form. Asuka transformed back as well stepping over to him as he bled to death.

"Why does the tribe want me dead!" she yelled at him. "Answer me!"

"Y… you… are… the destroyer…" He said.

She leaned down and grabbed him by the intact side of his neck and shoulder pulling him up Closer. Blood poured down his chest as she straddled the man. She took no notice that the blood was soaking into her shorts.

"What are you talking about?! Destroyer of what?!"

"You will… destroy the legacy of… Fff…Fffe……" His body fell limp as the last of his blood trickled down his frame.

She dropped the body with contempt. For whatever reason, they wanted her dead. Asuka found that it didn't matter to her anymore.

"_Let them come…."_

**

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End of Chapter V

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**

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est,_

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_

* * *

**A/N:** I want to take a moment and thank my readers and reviewers for making this one of my most successful stories to date. If it was not for you, I don't think I would have found the confidence to continue to publish on the web.

NamelessHeretic: I ultimately decided to remove the viewpoint markers during my November Re-Edit of this story. Hopefully it flows a bit better now.

Blackfang1983: Ok seriously, this is NOT an Underworld Crossover. That direction would be too easy in my opinion and as someone already pointed out, there are enough crossovers with Underworld out there already. I'm trying to keep a certain level of uniqueness although admittedly, its kind of hard to do that in fanfiction, especially with popular subjects.

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A/N: edited 11/28/2009


	6. Bloodstained Lineage, Part II

**A/N:** See chapter one for disclaimer. Chapter edited on 11/28/2009

* * *

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Bloodlust**

**VI: Bloodstained Lineage, Part II

* * *

  
**

It has been three days since Rei Ayanami revealed her secrets to Shinji… and he still wasn't sure what to think about everything. Rei was definitely different on many levels, an Angel, a clone of mother and a Vampire at the same time. The mixture was pretty potent it seemed, she proved to him that she could take care of herself. It also put several things into perspective for him.

Such power would have been a boon piloting EVA he realized and decided that those influences helped her to save both himself and Asuka during the battle with the 7th Angel. As one would assume, Asuka was none too grateful for the intervention and even though it has already been close to 5 weeks since that day, the grudge was still held.

But ever since Asuka moved into Misato's apartment things were going badly. She was abusive, coarse, and extremely arrogant, yet there was a side to her no one else saw. He caught her crying in her sleep one night a few weeks ago and realized she had a very troubled past. Based on her words as she spoke in her sleep, he could tell it had something to do with her mother. He tried to ask her about it once, but the glare of death he received for his troubles made him back down immediately.

Yesterday they dealt with the 8th Angel… and Shinji for one was glad it was over. It didn't help that the animosity between Rei and Asuka had increased since the 7th, as if they wanted on some level to kill each other but he for one couldn't understand why. Yes, they were dimetrically opposed to each other, but there had to be something else. Perhaps Rei's enhanced sense of smell picked up something she didn't like about the German… and he was betting it wasn't a taste for bratwurst. But even he realized there was something odd about Asuka… she always seemed to be taking in her surroundings, always sniffing about like an animal. Even when she was conversing with the other girls and increasing her already staggering popularity at the school, you could tell that her awareness was primed and her temper on a hair trigger.

_Its almost like she's predatory, but what could she be hunting?_

For his part, he tried to stay out of their conflicts as he had his own to deal with. Though he seemed to take Rei's unique nature ok, inside himself there was a war being fought. Though the fact that she shares DNA with his mother was a bit creepy, he actually had more of a problem with the other two unique aspects of Ayanami. He had not been idle these past two days, and though there was woefully little on the nature of vampires online these days, what little he found scared him; they preyed upon the innocent, they were undead monsters who's scemes could span entire lifetimes, they were heartless...

"_Is she evil?"_ This was the number one question on his mind… Almost all of the websites agreed on this one point, that vampires were creatures of darkness and malevolance. Never once did Rei put him in any danger, be he also knew she was intelligent. Did she bear him some ill will? Does he figure into one of her plans? The more he thought about this, the more paranoid he became. Being mostly Angel probably didn't help in that category either. How could she be anything other than evil? The angels are trying to destroy mankind… why on earth would his father create a being from their DNA unless he found a way to use it somehow.

Here in the EVA Bay, he was looking over his plug making sure everything was in order. He had harmonics tests scheduled for later this evening and he had to make sure everything was in top condition. It wasn't that he didn't trust the engineers that handled the maintenance, he just liked having his own assurances. He wasn't sure why that was so important to him… he hated this thing regardless of how well it worked.

A set of approaching footsteps roused him from his thoughts. He looked over his shoulder to see one of the older technicians standing there.

"Hello Pilot Ikari," he said.

"Please call me Shinji Mister…"

"Rokoji," he said, "Hiro Rokoji, but just Hiro to my friends."

"Hiro then. How can I help you sir?"

"We should talk in private if you have time, I have a lot to talk to you about."

Shinji just wondered what he was talking about but his curiosity was peaked; complete strangers don't normally walk up and introduce themselves to him. He followed the man away from the cages and into a small break room on the far side of the area.

"We can talk more privately in here," he said. "This room isn't bugged."

"How do you know that?" Shinji asked. In response, the man took a small rectangular object off his belt. It appeared to be some form of small electronic device, that slid opened revealing an odd light and emitted a tone just out of the range of human hearing.

"I have ways. So, how have you been?" he asked sounding like he's always known him.

"I'm ok I guess. What is this about?" He sat down across from the man waiting for a response.

The man responded by pulling out his lunch pail from the nearby locker and opening it. Inside, he retrieved an envelope and handed it to him. Shinji looked at it quizzically.

"Open it," he said encouragingly with a kind smile upon his face.

Shinji did and found 3 photographs in there. The first picture made him freeze and stop breathing for a moment. There were four people in the picture: His Father was on the right side with a hand on the shoulder of a woman with a lab coat that looked an awful lot like Rei if she were taller and had brown hair. Next to Gendo stood Fuyutsuki looking a little younger and in front of him was a woman also in a lab coat that reminded him greatly of Dr. Akagi.

"Is… is that my mother?" he asked, pointing to the girl in front of his father.

"Yes it is Shinji. That's Yui. Obviously you recognize your father and Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki. The other woman in the picture is Dr. Naoko Akagi, Ritsuko's mother."

"I… I've never had a picture of her," he said as a single tear began to shake loose from his left eye and his voice cracked slightly. His right hand gently touched the image of her face. "Not one. Father said he… he got rid of them all."

"I managed to save a few. I used to work for NERV back when it was called Gehirn. I was one of your mother's 'Gophers'. You know, 'Go-for files', 'go-for coffee', that sort of thing."

Shinji let slip a momentary chuckle at the joke but could not take his eyes off the picture. He put it aside looking at the second one and saw just his mother, apparently caught by surprise. She was standing in an hallway with a quizzical look on her face holding a cup of coffee in one hand and a clipboard under her other arm. He's seen that look on Rei's face on more than one occasion, and that thought It made him smile a little.

"Rei could have been my mother's twin," he whispered. _"And how could anything created from her be evil?"_ Another volley in the war within Shinji's mind was fired.

"Yeah I noticed that when Gendo first introduced her to us back in 2010," Hiro replied. "I never said anything back then but I'm starting to get suspicious of her true nature."

Shinji bit back any attempt to reply to that as he switched to the third picture. This one confused him. It showed his mother leaning over a desk with numerous books around her… not text books though, really old books. These were the kind of books that were leather bound with locks and ornate metallic designs on the cover and bindings. They were the kind of books that you would expect to see in the library of a fantasy wizard.

"What is all this?" he asked.

"Do you believe in magic Shinji?"

* * *

**Elsewhere....**

While the Carpathians were fun, Maya felt it was good to be home again. Of course, Dr. Van Helsing didn't send her home empty handed. She received another case like the one her grandfather had left her, this one with more supplies, more weapons and her new signet ring. After unpacking everything she put the ring on. It showed the symbol of The Midnight Order (a black rose with crosses on either side of it) along with a rune that designated her position in the order as a member of the Inner Circle.

She had gotten very little sleep on the way back to Japan, and she had to be at work in 3 hours so she wasn't getting sleep just yet. Her new powers however allowed her such extended activity periods when necessary… something she was happy about and hoped she wouldn't have to abuse the privilege of.

Now that she was home it was time to meditate on the events that led her here. She needed to know who this vampire was before she could begin her investigation. Maya took a quick trip around the house closing all the window and shades, making sure everything was locked up then she went back to her bed room. She laid a towel out in the middle of her bed then undressed herself, going so far as to take off the signet ring and place it on her beside table.

She had to be completely comfortable for this to have even the slightest potential to work and luckily it was warm in the apartment so she didn't have to worry about shivering. She also knew that she was going to relive a moment in which the events were quite sensual... the towel should protect the bed with any luck. Maya also lit some jasmine incense to help her relax as it was one of her favorite scents.

"_The sad part about this is I think I'm getting turned on just thinking about what I have to do. Well at least I'll be in a good mood at work today… potentially at least."_

Once the scent permeated the room, she sat Indian style in the middle of the towel, gently laid her hands on her knees and took a deep breath. As she slowly blew the air out, she closed her eyes and tried to focus back on that time.

* * *

"_This really hurts," Maya though to herself as she sat on the toilet. "Looks like I'm drinking cranberry juice for the next 3 days again." This was nothing new to her, but it was the 5th time this year and it wasn't even July yet. Burning during urination was a sure sign of an infection. "Maybe I should talk to Sempai about this." The thought embarrassed her a bit but she knew she could trust her, so she sighed and decided she would mention it today before she left._

_She suddenly heard the water running. "I didn't even hear them come in," she thought to herself wondering who it could be. She was under the impression that only Captain Katsuragi, herself and her Sempai used this bathroom because they were the only females who spent any large amount of time on the bridge._

_She wiped herself and flushed the toilet pulling her panties and pants back up in the same motion. Tucking her uniform shirt in, she made sure everything was straight before she opened the door to see who it was._

_To her surprise it was Rei Ayanami. The quiet girl had creeped out many of the technicians but Maya found her intriguing. She was unique, if quiet and unassuming. Definitely very introverted… and if it wasn't for the fact that she was so young, Maya would probably have a crush on her._

"_Oh, hi Rei," she said cheerfully, not really expecting a reply back. Maya thought she would try to strike up a conversation with the girl despite how fruitless such ventures seemed… but it was right then that Maya noticed something that caused her heart to race._

_The bathrooms sinks were dominated by a huge mirror allowing multiple people to use it at the same time. Maya saw herself but Rei's reflection was conspicuously missing. While most people would question their own sanity these days at seeing that, Maya was not most people and knew it significance._

"_Oh my god… Rei is a vampire?!" she thought as her blood felt as if it just froze inside her body. Rei's head turned towards her with a look of annoyance. Maya hoped that she was seeing things and her reflection would somehow just appear, but the red glow in the girl's eyes dispelled any hope that this was not real. Realizing she was in very real danger she made a break for the door._

_But Rei was a lot faster than her and she found herself pinned against the wall near the door, one of Rei's hands pressed against her mouth while the other grabbed her left wrist tightly. Maya's heartbeat began to race out of control and she knew she was dead._

"_I didn't want it to come to this," she hissed at Maya. "I really didn't. But now you leave me no choice." She slowly released her mouth ready to clamp it down again if she tried to scream._

"_Rei… please," Maya pleaded. "I-I won't tell anyone I-I swear! Y-Your secret is s-safe with m-me." She knew pleading with Vampires didn't actually help much, just stroke their ego but when one is staring death in the face one does anything to delay it._

_As expected Rei wasn't going for it. "I really wish I could believe you Maya, I really do. But I can't take that chance. Trust me when I tell you this is for your own good."_

_She turned her head away and closed her eyes. She didn't want to see it happening, and she knew there was no fighting it. "So this is it," she thought, "this is how my sad little life ends…never knowing what it would have been like to be with Sempai… this isn't fair!"_

_She felt Rei's mouth closing in on her neck and tensed up a bit. "I can only promise you that the pain will pass quickly," Rei said in a whisper that sounded almost reassuring. "And you might just enjoy this."_

_Maya wondered how she would find death enjoyable. Rei's teeth pierced her neck leaving a quickly spreading pain though her nervous system. She gasped as she felt the teeth continue though to the artery there squirming a little out of reaction and instinct. She squirmed a little more as she felt the fangs withdraw from her flesh to be replaced by a hungry mouth that began to draw the blood from her body faster than it could bleed it out._

_The pain began to fade as a sudden wave of weakness began to spread. Just as Maya started to get used to it, something else happened. She felt a fire ignite within her body reaching all the way to her core and allowed a gentle moan to escape her lips. Her nipples stiffened beneath their confines as a wave of pleasure passed though her. Maya couldn't think about the inherent wrongness of this as the energy of it all consumed her. Her body began to writhe against Rei's uncontrollably, trying to savor every second of this experience. The friction even though clothing caused her body to radiate waves of intense euphoria unlike anything she had ever felt before._

_Then it got worse… Rei drew the blood from her body at a much slower pace now, greatly intensifying the feelings that pulsed though her body. She was consumed utterly in pure ecstasy… so powerful was it that she had no desire to come back down. She felt Rei's clothed breasts against her own and Rei's knee between her legs against the apex of her body. She wondered if Rei even realized what she was doing to her._

_Another shudder escaped her as she reached the point of lightheadedness. Silently her body shuddered as an orgasm passed though her form completely overtaking any and all levels of awareness. For the briefest of moments, nothing else existed. As she lost the ability to stand up, Rei's arms take a hold of her and gently slid her down as her tongue licked the wound on her neck. Her senses slowly coming back, but only barely so as Rei kneeled before her._

"_I…I don't… want… to die...."_

"_You won't Lt. Ibuki," she whispered in a low voice. "Sadly, you won't remember our meeting either. I'd love to see what you're like in bed one day." Despite the fact that this girl just violated her body in a way, Maya had to smile. It was probably the nicest thing anyone has said to her in the past 10 years. Her eyes fell upon the gently glowing red orbs of Rei and suddenly nothing existed...._

Maya's eyes snapped opened and a moan escaped her lips. While she remembers starting this meditation sitting Indian style, she wasn't in that position now. Her body writhed a bit more as she fully pulled herself out of her trance.

She was lying down now, her legs bent up and spread out. Her left hand was gently clutching her right breast with her thumb gently teasing a small erect nipple while her right hand was closed over her sensitive nether regions. Her thumb was pressed against her clit and her middle finger was half buried in the slit itself with her fluids slowly dripping off of it and onto the towel beneath her.

Unconsciously her hands were still moving seemingly of their own volition. She closed her eyes again and allowed them to finish. As her middle finger plunged into her body she arched her back and silently cried out as her body felt as if it were trying to pull the entire finger inside of her. Maya could tell this was at least the second time she climaxed in the past 5 minutes. And allowed one last gasp to escape her as she settled back down to the bed.

Maya turned her head and looked at the clock. She still had an hour and a half left so she remained there for a few minutes trying to recover. Her body shuddered a bit as she removed her finger from her body. A few minutes later, she finally sat up and suddenly realized she was cold. Her body had heated up so much from her unconscious ministrations that the warm apartment now felt like a freezer.

She cleaned herself off quickly with the towel, then went into the bathroom for a shower… a nice, hot shower.

While she did so, she thought on the memory she retained. She knew now it was Rei who attacked her and why she did it. It was a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time… but there were things that she had to know… Who embraced Rei and why?

She knew the only way she was going to get her answers was to confront her about it. Maya wondered just how far Rei was willing to go to protect her own secrets….

* * *

**Later....**

Shinji arrived home to find the house deserted again. Misato would work most of the night tonight and Asuka was God only knows were. It was perfect… he still had at least 4 hours before his Harmonics Test this evening and decided the best use of his time was to see what his mother had been doing with her spare time. He went directly to his small room and opened his backpack. Inside were the pictures given to him by Hiro, and a tome with heavy binding and a lock with no key hole. He sat on his bed with the tome in front of him.

"_Do you believe in magic Shinji?" Hiro asked him._

"_Yes," he whispered. "There are too many things in this universe that can't be explained for me not to believe in it. Why?"_

"_I was one of the few who knew this, but… your mother was a powerful mage. A part of her power went into Project E although it likely could have been done without such influances. Its what makes Unit 01 so special I think. That and I think a part of her is still in there, somewhere."_

Hiro had shown him the room that held the material he saw in the 3rd picture. There he had found a single book with a post-it-note on it that stood out from the innumerable tomes and scrolls that were strewn about. The note was old and the writing faded but he could read it. It said "For Shinji".

His hand lightly touched the exotic and complex lock and it began to slide open of its own volition.

"It knows it's master," he whispered as the lock popped opened. He gently opened the book and began to read the preamble. The book was hand written by his mother both in Kanji and in an ancient language that somehow he understood.

"Arcane magic is divided into nine specific and sympathetic spheres; Correspondence, Entropy, Forces, Life, Matter, Mind, Prime, Spirit and Time…"

An hour into reading the book and Shinji was already beginning to understand the basics of the power buried within his own soul. What's more, he started to understand the true nature of his mother's work.

"Every being has an AT Field, a barrier of Energy that separates one soul from another. The energy therein is sympathetic to magic itself. Whatever the source of a human's AT Field is, may very well be the source of magic itself… a great wellspring of power that has limitless potential."

He stopped reading and considered his mothers words. _"Mother believed that we all have that power but only those who have been 'Awakened' can truly tap into it. Time to see if I can put what I know to good use."_

He held his left hand opened before him and began to concentrate. Almost immediately he felt energy begin to pool above it. There was a significant amount of strain as he attempted to control the energy flows but after struggling for almost a full minute, he felt the energy balance and focus.

Then, he physically saw it the energy and felt waves of comforting warmth from it. A pinpoint of pure white light appeared and the waves of energy being pulled into it became visible as arcs of multicolored energy traveling inward towards the center as if the point was a singularity. Soon the ball was about the size of a small lime and he stopped pooling the energy. The white light radiating off of it lit the room like a 40 watt light bulb.

"I… I did it!" he said, unable to believe he could do it, but the proof was in his hand so to speak. He concentrated on it again making it dissipate and the energy began to bleed off back into his surroundings. He watched and continued to concentrate until the pinpoint winked out of existence and the light was gone.

He tried it again, and found it much easier to do this time. "Could I be a natural at this? I bet mom was." He sighed as he thought about the picture again. Using his free hand he pulled out the picture of her by herself at the desk working on her tomes with a gentle smile on her face as she did so. "I wish I could talk to her…"

Then he realized he might just be able to do that. Hiro said he though that his mother left part of herself behind inside of EVA. And thinking back to her 'death' she vanished before his eyes in the entry plug. What if it wasn't just a part of her… what if she was actually inside EVA?

Extinguishing the light, he flipped forward in the book until he found what he was looking for, and began to read out loud.

"The Mind Sphere relates to esoteric ideals of telepathy, mind reading, Astral Projection and Psychometry…." _"I think I can do this. But there is only one way to find out."_ He read though the arcane formulae, careful not to misunderstand anything and focused on it for the remainder of his time before it was off to NERV for his test. He found some of the Paradigms to be easy to focus on while others seemed too complicated even for someone as intelligent as Asuka. He wondered if he'd be able to master the complexities of it in time for his test.

* * *

**A Few Hours Later at NERV....**

Rei was the only one in the girl's locker room at NERV. She was early but didn't mind it. Although these tests were a waste of time for her, she had to keep up appearances. But now she had another reason….

"Shinji," she whispered. It has been three days or so since she bared her soul to him and now she didn't question that she made a dreadful mistake. "He doesn't visit me, doesn't pay attention to me at school… what have I done?" A tear of blood escaped her left eye as she thought about what it was that she had just lost. Shinji was important to her, the boy that held her heart in his hands… He was the anchor she needed to stay sane… without him, she didn't know what she would do next, but she knew she would be destined to fall to darkness.

She wiped the tears away and finished dressing into her plugsuit.

* * *

**That Moment....**

Seven men lay around her in various states of dismemberment. Once again, Asuka was triumphant, but weary. This had been going on for days and now, she was running behind for her Harmonics Test tonight. If she was lucky she'd make it in time. As she tried to leave, one of the arms nearby grabbed her ankle. Apparently it was still connected to a living body.

"Damn… you… You… won't… win…" Asuka responded by stomping on his neck, killing him.

"_More assassins from the Steel Jaw Tribe,"_ she noted grimly. Supposedly, they believed she was some kind of destroyer of some legacy. She reached up to her left shoulder to where she had a single bullet wound. Grunting, she shoved two of her fingers into the hole, widening it. She yelled in pain as her fingers finally found purchase and she tore them out. The wound smoked as did her fingers and she took a moment to examine the Sterling Silver slug she just dug out of her body.

"I'm lucky the bullet didn't shatter internally," she thought as she dropped it on the ground. "I'm tough but I'm not invincible… apparently not like Wondergirl." As contemptuous as her thoughts were, the thought she never wanted in her head had occurred to her.

The Great Asuka Langley needed help… she couldn't face this kind of tide alone as much as she wanted to. _"Mien Gott, I can't believe I'm going to have to seek the help of Wondergirl for this scheiße… but I don't have a choice. Rei is a Vampire… and the last thing they would expect me to team up with. It's not like that powerless baka can help me."_

* * *

**Thirty Minutes Later....**

Rei waited in the EVA cages for the order to mount up. A set of footsteps got her attention and she turned to see Shinji approaching Unit 01 in the neighboring cage. She made her way over there trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach.

"Shinji-kun?"

Shinji stopped and turned towards her. "Rei," he whispered, it was almost a deadpan.

"You… you haven't even said one word to me since Thursday…"

Shinji sighed. "I've had a lot to think about." She sensed his anxiety at being this close to her.

"Please don't be mad at me," she whispered almost pathetically.

"I'm not mad…"

"Then why won't you talk to me?"

"Because I don't know if I can trust you," he said with resolve.

She was taken aback by this. "What do you mean?"

"Rei… only one part of you, and a small part of that, is not inherently evil according to everything I've read. How am I supposed to act?"

"Shinji, I'm not evil!" she protested.

"You a half-angelic undead, Ayanami… how can you not be?"

His words penetrated her and caused her more pain then the sharpest stake, but she was despirate to patch things up. "Have I ever lied to you? Please Shinji…I bared my soul to you! I trust you!"

"There's…" he paused shaking his head slightly."There's a lot on my plate right now. I conceed that just because the parts that make you are evil, you may not be… but I can't help but think there is some nefarious plan involving me that you need. Is that it? Am I convenient Rei, or do you really care about me?"

His words stung deep. On some level his acusations where correct, but Rei was truly in love with him and she had to make him know. "Shinji-kun," she whispered as a tear of blood began to fall from her left eye. "There is nothing I wouldn't do for you… I…" the words were hard to say but she knew in her heart that they were right. "I love you!"

Shinji's eyes widened in shock and Rei once again wondered if she went too far yet again… if by confessing all to him, she had managed to destroy any hope of being one with him. If that were true, she also succeeded in destroying herself.

"You… you love me?" he whispered back questioningly. It sounded as if he wanted to believe her.

"With all my heart and soul… before I was turned I never would have known what that feeling was… never would have been able to express it like I can now…" Her voice began to crack as the pure strength of her emotions became apparent. "Please believe me Shinji… I love you."

"Rei-chan," he whispered. "I…" he sighed softly, a smile beginning to light his face. "I'll come visit you tonight ok? We can talk more about this then."

For the first time in days, Rei felt a little better. He would visit her tonight… and she would make everything up to him. "Ok," She whispered softly and nodded gently.

He looked upon her and smiled…

* * *

Rei looked a little happier as she gently waved and hurried off to her plug, wiping away the bloody tear before the cameras could catch it.

Conflict still reigned inside the mind of Shinji Ikari. _"I have to admit that she believes she is sincere."_ Although he knew on some level it was wrong of him to do it, he practiced a little Mind Sphere Magic on her. Never once in the conversation did her mind hint that she was being insincere. At least she believes she loves him.

"_How can anyone love me when I'm not even sure I love myself?" _It was a hurdle on his way towards self-confidence he had yet to overcome… the last hurdle. But now Shinji had hope that he could restore his own confidence by communing with his mother.

Being this close to 01, he could almost feel her… but could he bridge the gap? Could he reach out to her. He hoped he could because something was bothering him more than even Rei at this stage… and that was his own power.

"_I read that reading minds is a difficult venture, even getting impressions can be taxing but I'm not in the least bit taxed from looking into her thoughts. A few hours ago, it taxed me just to conjuror a small globe of white light, now I can look into thoughts as easily as opening a refrigerator. My power is expanding too rapidly… what if I loose control?"_

He hoped his mother would have the answers but his worst fears came to pass....

* * *

**End of Chapter VI**

* * *

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est, _

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_

_

* * *

_

**Next Chapter:** An Awakening… and Asuka gets a taste of just how "powerless" the Third Child really is....

* * *

A/N: Chapter edited on 11/28/2009


	7. Evolution, Part II

**A/N:** See chapter one for the disclaimer

**

* * *

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Bloodlust**

**VII: Evolution, Part II**

**

* * *

  
**

Even Ritsuko was bored… Harmonics tests came around often enough… she thought she was used to them by now, but even she had her limits. Time ticked by so slowly you could actually feel yourself getting older by the second. At it wasn't as if there were many in this room who could keep her mind busy... except maybe Maya... beautiful sweet Maya....

"Something wrong Rits?" Came the voice of Misato Katsuragi.

Ritusko shook her head, getting the quickly degenerating thoughts of her young assistant out of her mind. "Tired apparently," she responded.

"Yeah I know, these tests can get really grating after a while, don't you think?"

Misato was trying to get Ritsuko to end the test early or at least admit they were either pointless or just a monumental waste of time. "They have to be done, never the less."

That seemed to shut her up for the moment. It certainly wasn't that she disliked speaking with her old college friend, but right now she was just making sure everything went smoothly.

"Graphs appear normal," Maya announced.

Ritsuko smiled ever so slightly. Just over a month ago, she was suposed to meet with her at some point during her recovery, but work got in the way of all of her free time, bogging her down to the point that only NERV existed for a while. Thankfully, Maya herself had become quite busy. She was pretty tight lipped about where she had been, or what she had been doing during her recovery, but whatever she was up to aparently helped imensely.

"Thank you Maya, let me know if there is more than a 0.05 variance in the Alpha Waveform Emissions on any of the pilots."

"Hai Sempai," she cheerfully responded.

Although Maya was cheerful most of the time, Ritsuko noticed that recently her energy level skyrocketed. It was as if whatever ailment robbed her of her precious blood ended up making her even stronger. Scientifically that was simply not possible of course but Ritusko simply had to wonder._ "I need to ask her what she's been doing to stay this healthy and active."_

Suddenly the computers started going nuts; Warning lights flashed, klaxons wailed, and screens blinked. Ritsuko was about to yell over the sounds for a status report when suddenly Maya yelled first... she was always on the ball.

"Third Child's Synchronization Level is exceeding 100 percent!"

"Confirmed!" Aoba yelled. "Synchronization at 110 and climbing!"

"_Damn it! Not again!"_ "Cut back the signal level 95%!" Ritsuko ordered.

"No response!" Maya yelled. "Synchronization still climbing, 160, 170, 180…"

"Cut all Power to Unit 01!"

"Power cut!" Aoba Yelled. "Unit 01 has switched to internal power. Shut down in 60 seconds."

Maya called out, "Alpha wave emissions from the pilot are spiking! Synchronization at 240 and climbing!" Maya reported.

"Oh no," Ritsuko whispered. "She's dragging him in."

* * *

Ritsuko closed her eyes as she knew what was going to happen next… or at least she thought she did.

"Sempai! Synchronization stabilized!"

Ritusko looked at the image of the pilot on the camera. This entire time, Shinji was completely calm and serene with a content smile on his face.

"Where is it?"

"Sync rate is holding at 299.2 percent."

"Dangerously close to losing his ego border," she whispered fearfully.

"Rits, what the hell just happened? What's going on?!" Misato was in full on 'mother mode' now and Ritsuko knew it. She had to tread carefully, but her confidence broke. How could she tell her friend that her ward's birth mother's soul was trapped in a several story tall purple war machine?

"I… I wish I knew Misato."

Misato growled slightly and turned back to the technicians. "Abort the test. Pull the pilots. Do it now!"

Aoba responded, "Sending eject order to Unit 01. No response! Its rejecting the command interface!"

"_Damn it Yui, let him go!"_

"Rits," Misato pleaded, "tell you have an idea." Misato looked beyond worried and Ritsuko understood why. She pulled herself out of her thoughts and shook her head.

"I need time. Maya, try to keep his Sync rate stabilized, I don't want him going up another 0.1 percent."

"I'll do my best Sempai!" the young tech responded, trying to sound hopeful.

"And reconnect the power! A sudden termination at this level will cause permanent brain damage. I have research notes that might help, I'll be in the lab," she said as she walked towards the doors leading off the bridge.

* * *

Inside Unit 01, Shinji's body was still intact but his spirit had already left the building. Carefully he had projected his astral form into the core of Unit 01. What he found inside surprised him.

Upon reaching the core, he found himself sitting on a beach overlooking the ocean. The sky was mostly clear with a few passing clouds and the air was warm but not overtly stifling. The massive blue green expanse before him swayed in the gentle motions of the tide, and he even heard the occasional seagull in the area, although he realized that wasn't possible.

After a short while, he felt, then saw a pair of arms wrap around his upper body. A woman was embracing him from behind, and he felt completely comfortable. He didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"Mom," he said softly.

"Yes Shinji, its me." Her voice was gentle... so much like Rei's it brought up feelings within him he could not explain.

A tear fell from his eye. "I… I missed you." He pulled away long enough to turn around and face her. He saw her gentle smile, her perfect skin and eyes that glittered like gems. She was who Rei was patterned after and he could see that now. He leaned forward into her embrace wanting to lose himself there. Yui responded by gently placing a hand behind his head and leaning her head gently down to touch his.

* * *

It was later inside this dream world though the sun never actually moved. Yui and Shinji were in a huge expansive field of green hills. Both kneeling on a picnic spread with bento boxes before them, eating quietly. Shinji did not understand much about the magic of the Time Sphere though he sensed those paradigms around him. He knew he could spend a long time here and not loose more than few minutes or hours in the real world.

"Mom? Did dad know you were practicing magic?" he asked.

She smiled gently. "I think he would have been against it if he knew. He believes Science is the ultimate power in the universe when in reality it is but half of the picture."

"Sounds like him."

"I take it you found my gift to you?"

He held up his hand summoning the ball of energy he taught himself to do before... this time it took less than half a second to form. "You could say that."

Yui chuckled. "I'm glad to see you're putting it to good use."

"But my powers are growing too fast," he said with worry in his voice.

"That was the Ikari Blessing," she replied.

"This is supposed to happen?"

"Yes. Though in times past we had a tutor who helped curb the power gain. I'd like to train you to control your power gain before you go." At that moment, an invisible mental connection linked their minds and souls. Shinji didn't fight it, allowing it to wash over him.

"Do I have to leave?" he asked as part of his mind completed the connection.

"You know you can't stay. I can only curb the march of time so much, and you are still needed in the real world."

Shinji sighed. "I know, I guess I was just being rhetorical. I really miss you."

Yui sighed. "I know... I wish I could be outside with you. I can't believe that your father put both you and Rei through so much hell. He has made me very upset with him, to know that as much as he claims to love me unconditionally, he would not honor me by taking care of you, nor would he leave the sanctity of my body alone. That he would create that abberation is evil without question."

"Rei isn't evil mom," Shinji clarified, "nor is she an abberation in the strictest sence of the word."

"Sorry Shinji, I mean on disrespect to her, but she was never meant to exist… now that she does however, she needs help… especially with what she has become."

Shinji was happy his mother pulled the thoughts and knowledge from his head through the link... he would have hated having to explain everything to her. "I agree, though I fear Asuka may also be in some kind of trouble."

"Indeed, her coming home late, smelling of blood all the time would be cause for concern. Do you know why Asuka and Rei hate each other?"

"I was starting to put the pieces together on that actually," he replied. "I suspect Asuka is a Lycan." Yui began to pull some of Shinji's experiences from his mind though the link, observing Asuka's behavior first hand as well as her abuses of her son. Shinji was taking it like a man though, so she gave it little consern. It was her habits she was interested in... her mannerisums and any signs at all that Shinji may have witnessed, yet missed that would prove his theory.

"Based on the evidence, I agree, though I must admit the evidence you do have my son, can be construed as circumstantial at best, and meaningless at worst."

"I trust my instincts."

Yui smiled. "My, we do learn quickly don't we?"

Shinji chuckled in response. When he noticed his mother's face took a more serious turn and that no more information was flowing into him he knew what was next. "Is it time already?"

Yui nodded solemnly, "Sadly, you must return now." She began to stand up though her smile never truly faded.

"It must be so lonely in here," Shinji commented.

"Not when you are in the entry plug," she replied. "Remember that a part of me will be with you always. And if you should ever despair with a lack of options look within… and you shall find the answers you seek."

Shinji stood up with her and hugged her. Yui held him back in response. "All the knowledge you need to begin your own studies are now within your head. Everything I knew about the Arcane is yours to command. You have the potential to be the most powerful mage this world has ever seen Shinji. It would have been foolish of me to withhold that from you.

"Be careful my son."

"What should I do about dad?"

"I don't know for certain what he is planning but it is not what I originally had in mind. Find out what it is he's trying to do… and stop him."

"I will mom… I promise."

With these final words, Shinji felt himself being drawn back towards his body. Astral Projection on this level would likely drain him heavily, but the trip apparently was well worth it. Not only did he finally get to meet his mother… but he can now safely skip the first 20 years of mystical learning and move on to the more advanced spells. Perhaps other secerets lie within Yui's Tome.

* * *

Ritsuko had not even left the bridge when Maya yelled out that there was a major change in the 3rd Child's Sync Graphs.

"Sempai wait!" Maya yelled causing her to turn around. "Shinji's Sync Rating is dropping again!"

Ristsuko was confused. _"Did Shinji somehow manage to convince Yui to let him go?"_

Aoba responded immediately, "It's confirmed. The Third Child's sync graph is dropping rapidly, 205, 185, 165, 130, 90, 78… It's stabilized again, holding at 77.6 percent."

"Significantly higher than his average," Ristuko commented. "Maya how are his alpha wave emissions?"

"Normal Sempai, 22.4 and stabilized. Variance of plus or minus 0.03."

Misato spoke up at this point. "So what do the Magi say about this one?" She was releaved but only cautiously optimistic as far as Ritsuko could tell.

Shigeru looked over his data screen. "The Magi detected a massive Beta Waveform Shift about 20 seconds before the Sync Ratio spiked. The Magi unanimously agree that this was the cause of the initial climb. They are withholding judgment as to what fueled it further."

"_I think I know,"_ Ritsuko thought to herself grimly.

* * *

**Hours Later...**

Shinji woke up in a NERV hospital bed with a bit of a headache. He groaned slightly as he began to sit up. His head was pounding and he already knew , Rei was at his bedside looking worried for him. Shinji turned to her and smiled softly.

"Rei-chan," he said in a low voice. "I knew I would see you when I awoke. I'm glad of it." He noticed her eyes drift down then away from him. "What's wrong?"

She blushed slightly. "You… are not dressed again," she whispered.

Shinji looked down at himself and realized he was in the same state of undress that he was in after his first sortie against Ramiel.

"So," he said matter-of-factly. "Not like you haven't seen it before." He sat up not even bothering to adjust the sheet.

The sudden display of a lack of modesty caused her blush to darken and she looked away again shyly. Shinji gently reached out and held the side of her face, making her look at him. Without so much as another word he leaned over to her and kissed her gently. For a true first kiss, is was unlike anything he had imagined it would be. The warmth drifting between them filtered down into each others souls… and it could not have felt more perfect. When they parted, both of their hearts were beating in time… it was one of the few times Rei's heart even beat without conscious effort on her part.

"That… that was nice," Rei whispered. "I… I don't think I've ever felt anything like that before."

Shinji smiled at her. "It took me a while to figure it all out… but I finally have. None of use are perfect Rei-chan… none of us are the same. So you look like my mother… she's a very beautiful woman. So you have the genes of an angel within your body, that makes you heavenly… and so you have been turned by the powers of darkness… that makes you powerful. I can no longer see anything negative about any of it."

Rei smiled at him softly. "Thank you Shinji-kun," she whispered as a tear of blood gently trailed from her left eye. "I was so afraid I had lost you forever."

Shinji used his thumb to wipe away the tear. "I will never abandon you Rei… never." He closed his hand over the tear and held the closed hand before her. Concentrating he transformed it into something for her. When he opened his hand, there was a single red stone, shaped like a tear drop on a silver chain in his hand instead of a drop of blood.

"Shinji?" she questioned. "How did you do that?"

"Want to know my dark secret? I have become a Mage… I have awakened Rei. My mother was a Mage too… apparently it runs in the family."

Rei smiled again. "Is this for me?"

"Something to remember this day," he said. "Keep it on you at all times. Not only is it beautiful, but it will protect you when and if you should ever need its power."

Shinji gently took the chain and placed it over Rei's head, adjusting the clasp. The stone hung in front of her and she placed a hand beneath it, starting into its crimson brilliance.

"I'll never take it off," she whispered.

"I know." His head turned slightly. "You should wear it under your uniform though. I sense that Misato is coming. Don't let anyone see it."

Rei nodded and dropped it into her shirt while Shinji got back under the covers properly.

Misato walked into the room. "Shinji! You're awake!"

"Hello Misato-san. Can I go home yet?" he asked her.

"Ritsuko thinks you're ok though she's a bit worried about what happened."

"I don't even know what happened," he lied. "I was doing what I was supposed to be doing in the plug… and the next thing I know. I'm staring at yet another unfamiliar ceiling. At this rate though, if I keep ending up here, they won't be so unfamiliar anymore."

Misato smiled at the comment. "Well guess we'll have to be more careful now. Don't worry about what happened Shinji-kun, it's over now. We just had a bit of a scare is all."

Shinji knew she was lying but he also knew what happened. Rather than push for answers he simply nodded in agreement. "Well I'm ready to go home now… but uh, can you and Rei wait outside please, they didn't give me gown again."

Rei blushed uncontrollably and silently left the room. Misato chuckled. "Ok Shinji-kun, but its not like you have anything I haven't seen before."

"M-Misato!" Shinji cried, faked of course, but he wanted to keep up appearances.

"Still so easy to tease," she commented with a chuckle before walking out.

He sighed. "That went well," he whispered. He looked down at himself and realized that while he was with Rei, his body reacted accordingly.

"Maybe Asuka is right. Maybe I am a hentai…"

He stood up and looked for his clothing. Finding it, he quickly dressed and met everyone outside. Even Asuka was there, for some strange reason.

"Baka!" she said as soon as he came into view. "What did you think you were doing scaring us all like this."

"Calm down Asuka," Misato snapped. Then she leaned in and whispered into her ear, "He still doesn't know and you're not going to tell him, understood?"

Shinji had enhanced his hearing before she started whispering and inwardly smiled. Asuka knew… _"This could get interesting."_

"Sorry but it was out of my control… whatever it was," he replied to her.

* * *

It was later that afternoon, and Shinji had entered the home of Rei Ayanami. The modest apartment had changed little since Shinji first saw it the first time... with one major exception.

"You cleaned up!" he said.

Rei beamed him a smile. "And I've got a few ideas for décor." She walked with him over to the kitchen, a warmth spreading though her body just from being around him. He was different now, far more confident than he ever was. She could feel his strength as almost a palpable aura that surrounded him. Even more interesting, the energy was warm but held an underlying tone of darkness she could not place.

"So, what's your specialty?" she asked him.

"Pardon?"

"Well, I know very little about Arcane Magic, but I do know that there are specific spheres that one can master. Which one do you favor?"

"Hard to say," he replied. "My mother was very good with Spirit and Entropy, using a lot of what she learned when she created EVA. But she studied a separate paradigm, not a sphere so to speak… I claim no particular specialization, I want to learn it all."

"What paradigm?"

Shinji turned towards her. His eyes glowed for a moment before rolling over to pure black, his aura became visible as black smoke that clung around him, rolled over his hands and flowed around like an ever shifting fog. Rei felt the temperature in the room drop precipitously "My mother taught me the secrets of Shadow Magic."

"I've never heard of it."

"Well," he began as his eyes returned to normal and his aura began to fade, "it's a bit tricky to try to explain to someone who has not studied the art, but in layman's terms, it is the power of darkness. Mother was not evil, but dark power is very seductive and she studied many occult volumes on the subject." His aura completely faded away as he opened her refrigerator and saw she had cases of soda. "Mind if I grab a cola?"

"Go for it," she responded, "and please continue."

"Shadow magic focuses on two general principles; Sympathy and Substance. In its most basic form it describes that if one can control an object's shadow, one can control the object itself. Substance allows me to create objects from raw shadow energy and use them if the objects were completely real… for example…" He cracked open the can and held his other hand out in and slightly closed position as if holding a wine glass. As he poured the soda out of the can towards his hand, the soda sloshed above it as if in an invisible glass. As it did so, a smoky ornate black goblet of sorts formed there to hold the liquid in place. He then drank the small amount of soda he poured into it and dismissed the glass from existence.

Rei was impressed at his level of skill. "I thought magic took years to master."

"When I was almost absorbed by EVA, I was actually meeting with my mother. She gave me her knowledge. I'm about 25 years or so ahead of the curve now."

The amount of power at his fingertips was incredible and Rei realized that with such power must have come his confidence. She could imagine that the meeting with his mother would have been quite the emotional experience.

"So its true then… your mother… the woman who's DNA went into my creation is now within Unit 01."

Shinji tossed back more of the soda. "Looks that way," he replied. "I fell sorry for her, being trapped there but in a way I guess I am grateful she's not really gone."

Rei decided it was time to fully bring him into her world. With his power at her side, there was little she could not accomplish. Not to mention working together would allow her ample opportunity to truly deepen their relationship. _The couple that slays together... stays together._ "Shinji-kun… I have been trying to keep hostile vampires out of the city by killing them. Would you like to come with me tonight?"

Shinji was halfway into drinking the soda so when he lowered his head and hadn't yet swallowed, he simply pointed at himself before attempting to do so.

"Yes," she replied.

"Rei-chan, I would be honored to assist you in these endevors. I have a few spells I've been wanting to try out and they are supposedly most effective against Vampires… Don't worry, I won't catch you in the crossfire."

"I trust you Shinji-kun." She checked the time. "Come back after midnight, Captain Katsuragi will get worried if you do not return soon."

"Don't worry, I'll make it home on time." He placed the can back on the counter and walked up to her. "There is something I need to do before I leave however."

Rei wasn't sure what he was talking about. She didn't know what more he needed to do in her apartment before returning to his own. But before she could start to ponder on what it was Shinji wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a kiss. It was the second time today that he did this to her, and she was hoping he would continue to be so forward with her… she was starting to like it.

Her teeth parted almost begging for his tongue in her mouth and he complied. A hand slid down her back to cup her rear, squeezing it and pulling her body even closer to him. For almost five minutes they made out like this, their bodies rubbing against each other as their hands played across each other's frames as their tongues danced. Though both remained clothed the entire time, it was the most potent experience she had ever felt… and she knew it could only get better from here.

"Shinji-kun," she whispered sweetly as they parted, leaning against his forehead wit her own. Her eyes slowly opened to see him smiling at her, just before he began to plant a few gentle kisses on her cheek and neck.

"Rei-chan," he returned. "Perhaps next time, we can go a little further."

"I…" her blush intensified as she stuttered. She was almost afraid to follow such base instincts but she could not kid herself, she had wanted this for a while. Now there was really nothing to stop her. "I'd like that."

He smiled at her and kissed her one last time before heading home.

* * *

**Hours Later....**

That night in Rei's apartment, Rei was preparing to go out for the night when a knock resounded on her front door. Fully dressed in her dark attire and loaded down with various implements of death she walked towards the door and saw Asuka through the peephole wearing opened sneakers, short shorts and tube top.

She opened the door. "What is it now," she said with annoyance.

"Can it Wondergirl," she said as she pushed past the Vampire and entered the apartment. "I came here because… well… mein gott and I can't believe I'm actually going through with this."

"What?" Rei asked. Her curiosity was peeked now. She knew from her smell that she was a Lycan, and like any good Vampire, she had a distrust for them. After all, both species have been on edge ever since the 2nd Shadow Wars of the late 1800's and early 1900's.

"I… need your help," she said and bit her lip at the end of the last syllable.

Rei looked at her for a moment before making her decision. She didn't trust Asuka but she was a fellow pilot and hunter in the night. "Ok. Tell me what the problem is and I'll do what I can."

"It's not that easy," she started. "I used to belong to a Tribe of Werewolves in England who called themselves the Steel Jaw. This tribe had a lot of weird superstitions, even by Lycan standards. I've known Were-Foxes with less confusing dogma.

"To make a long story short, they believe I'm some kind of 'destroyer'… something that has to be purged." She looked at Rei solemly. "I killed 7 assassins last night, 3 the previous night. They are stepping up their attempts but they haven't been sending just other werewolves after me. Most of the last group were mercenaries with Sterling Silver Ammunition."

Rei looked down for a moment in thought. "Have they sent Mages yet?"

"No, but I'm guessing its only a matter of time before they do. Wondergirl… I don't want to destroy anything! I got my jollies in Germany by killing entire gangs of bad guys. I only ever hurt people who honestly deserved it. How am I so deserving of this?!"

Rei frowned. "Whatever they believe you are destined to destroy must be valuable to them in some way."

They both heard footsteps approaching and turned to see who would dare intrude here.

"I thought I'd find both of you up here," came Shinji's voice. Asuka looked at him an nearly fainted.

He was dressed in all black from head to toe; steel toed boots, tapered pants, silk button down shirt, leather gloves and an all leather trench coat to complete the look.

Rei felt her body warm up again. Her Shadow Mage had finally arrived! "Shinji-kun!" she called out. As she stepped out of the apartment and into his arms.

"What are you doing here Baka?"

"Rei-chan said she'd take me hunting tonight," he replied.

"You?!" And then she started laughing out loud. Rei frowned and Shinji smirked at her. "What are you going to do when the scheiße hits the fan?"

"I'll have you know I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve," he said grimly.

"Ha, that's a laugh. Last I checked you're a spineless wimp! Dressing dark doesn't make you a man baka!"

"Oh really?" Shinji grunted out. "Spineless eh? Why don't you come over here and say that."

"Shinji-kun," Rei was about to protest when Shinji placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry Rei-chan… I won't cause any… permanent damage."

"As if you could cause damage to me anyway," she hissed.

"Bring it," Shinji goaded.

* * *

He honestly wondered if she would transform or not. Apparently she opted for the straight forward 'I don't need to be at full power to take you' method. He focused on the moment, waiting until the proper time. Her fist flew… and when it was less than 2 inches from striking him, he bent space around him and teleported directly behind her… giving her a shove while he was at it.

She sprawled across the concrete, skinning her knees and arms. He knew they would regenerate by the time she got back up so this really wasn't a bother to him. Predictably her eyes turned red and she glared at him as she got up. A low growl escaped her throat.

"What are you waiting for Asuka," he said calmly. "I thought you were going to hit me."

"How the fuck did you do that Third?"

"Do what? You're just clumsy." This sufficiently pissed her off enough to transform into full on Werewolf mode. Shinji waited until she was committed to the attack and side flipped off the balcony. Asuka watched him as he flipped once then slowed his decent in mid flight landing on his feet without so much as a bending his knees.

"How the fuck did he do that?!" she growled out and leaped off the balcony to go at him again. She was at full speed when Shinji erected a transparent wall of pure force in front of her that she slammed into, hurting her jaw in the process.

"You really must watch where you're going," he said calmly while he examined the back of his hand, as if it were somehow more important than this fight.

She roared at him and slammed into the barrier again, shattering it but before she could get a hand on him, he suddenly slipped to the left at such a speed that he left a confusing trail of shadows in his wake.

"You're a goddamned Mage!" she roared.

"Catches on quick doesn't she?"

With a roar she went at him full tilt again this time moving fast enough to strike home with one swipe of her claw. She only caught his arm but that was enough to piss him off.

He glared at her, feeling his eyes going dark like they did earlier when he showed Rei what he could do. "You want to play rough," he said, "lets…" He held his hand in front of him slowly closing it on something that wasn't there. Archs of dark energy swarmed in and pooled together suddenly firing out in two directions forming what amounted to a Two-Bladed Katana. _"I'm glad mother saw fit to show me how to fight while she was at it."_ Once the weapon was fully formed, he spun it around and flipped it behind in one hand, while holding the other in front of him to balance.

Asuka was about to charge him again when she caught the glint on the blades and instantly stopped. Slowly she began to change back to normal. "Oh fuck you!" she shouted. "Silvered Edges."

"Sorry, impulse," he said. "I wasn't sure if you were going to kill me or not." He looked at his arm and the wound instantly regenerated with a word in a mist of shadow and dark haze. Not only the wound but the shredded portion of his clothing also mended itself.

"Damn it Baka! If I didn't need you so badly I might just try. You've made a damn fool out of me twice today! Just now and… I can't talk about the other one."

"Asuka," he said as he made the staff-sword disappear. "I know what happened. My sync ratio spiked close to 300 and ended somewhere in the high 70's."

"How… how do you know that?!"

"I caused it. My mother is inside Unit 01 Asuka. I wanted to see her… so I did. I didn't realize that the act of doing so would bring me so close to become lost like she was… but thankfully I was able to keep my ego border from completely disintegrating."

"You're a damn fool!" she shouted. "You keep putting yourself in mortal danger for what? Are you trying to prove something?"

"Why the fuck do you even care?!" he yelled back. "All you've ever done since you arrived was cut me down and treat me like I wasn't even worth the ground I walked on. So what the fuck Asuka? Why now, of all times, would you even so much as give two shits?"

"Damn it I care about you ok?!" And with those words, Shinji found himself unable to retort. He wasn't even looking into her mind, he didn't have to. The shift of her aura and the feelings radiating off of her like the heat form the sun told him everything he needed to know… she actually meant every word she said.

This realization was the most shocking one he had since he was introduced to the realities of the supernatural. He was under the impression that she hated him for reasons he would never be able to determine when in reality… "You… care about me?"

"Yes Baka I do, ok?! I know I don't exactly show it like a normal person would… but I'd be upset if anything happened to you… I just… gerrr! It's not like I'm any good at all these feelings and crap!" Her flustered expression softened and her voice lowered. "Don't pull that kind of scheiße again… do you here me?."

Shinji laughed. "Ok, you know what… as fucked up as that sounds… I believe you."

"You do?" she said, sounding surprised. "After the way I treated you?"

"Yeah, I do." He looked up at Rei who seemed relieved the fighting was over. "I can't promise I won't have to go back in and see mom again, but with any luck I should find a safer way to do it by then."

Asuka smiled slightly. "You're… pretty good at this magic stuff huh."

"I have my mother to thank for that. By the way, I just have to ask…. what the hell brought you down to see Rei? I thought the two of you hated each other."

"We do," they both said at the same time and then glared at each other.

Asuka continued, turning away from her, "It's a matter of life or death… mine to be specific."

Shinji stopped for a moment. He knew if it was bad enough to have to ask Rei for help… correction… bad enough for a Werewolf to ask a Vampire for help, it had to be something really bad. Asuka may have been a pain to live with but he did care for her on some level, and he wasn't about to let anything hurt the people he cares for. Whatever held a beef with Asuka would have to deal with him too. And right now, he was pretty sure he was one of the last people on this planet anyone should desire to fuck with.

"Tell me…"

* * *

**End of Chapter VII**

**

* * *

**

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,  
Sanquis meus fervidus est,  
Sanguis tuus suavis est,  
Sanquis tuus iucundus est_

_

* * *

_

**A/N:** And another chapter down. Finally got Rei and Shinji to reconcile, Asuka's in the loop, and Shinji is a badass. Well stranger things have happened on FF Net eh?

Look forward to plenty of action sequences next chapter as the three children of the night try to learn how to work together.

**NewFLavor4UrEars:** I'm trying to keep things low tech, however in EVA that isn't always easy... so eventually there might be more tech usage, especially if Shinji does't get used to melee, he might have to fall back on firearms like his father. Heh, imagine that... a Mage with an AA-12. Look that up on YouTube if you don't know what it is.

Thanks again for reading. See you next chapter.

* * *

**Next Chapter:** An Ancient Prophecy... a forbiden tome... and bloodlust awoken.... Chapter Last Edited on 11/28/2009


	8. Hunter's Moon

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Bloodlust**

**VIII: Hunter's Moon**

* * *

The sounds of distant machinery filled the air as a dark shape walked though the abandoned warehouse. As the figure moved, the long dark leather duster that hung beneath it swished ever so gently kicking up a bit of dust and ash here and there. The place was an absolute mess; against one wall as many as five crossbow bolts were firmly impaled into the wall, each about the height of the average man's chest cavity, and various weapons, some improvised and others not so much, littered the ground.

It was as if a great battle were fought here… but there was no blood. All the indications of a struggle, but only piles of ash and dust remained in the room. The dark figure stopped and reached into a pocket of the duster it wore, extracting a mobile phone. With a flick of its slim wrist the device opened and it was held up to the head of the dark stranger.

"This is Maya," she whispered, keeping her voice down in case there were more vampires lurking about.

"Ah," came the familiar voice of Doctor Van Helsing, "Good. You were able to answer. I was afraid I caught you in the middle of something."

"You almost did," she whispered as she leaned against one of the support poles of the warehouse. "I was investigating a Vamp-Nest I heard existed in downtown Tokyo-3 and found it crawling with bloodsuckers. None of them were nice… they all wanted to eat me." Maya smirked at that, "and not in the good way."

Though Maya Ibuki never really joked about such crude subjects before, members of the inner circle of the Midnight Order had such a sense of humor, and their habits and mannerisms were beginning to rub off on her. If it were not for her carefully created mask of normality that she displayed when at NERV, she has no doubt her Sempai would have noticed her changes by now. There was no guarantee that she didn't… but so far her changes were not so noticeable as to garner so much as a sideways comment from the good doctor.

"Sounds as if you had a bit of fun then…. Have you come any closer to solving your own mystery?"

Maya looked about. "I have in fact. I know the identity of my assailant and I know she only attacked me to weaken me enough to do a memory alteration. Nothing nefarious, she simply didn't want to be caught. But something seems out of place.

"Twice today I came across members of a mercenary group called The Steel Dawn. Don't they currently have a high paying contract with some Germanic Lycan Tribe?"

"Indeed. The Steel Jaw Tribe, I believe they are called. Why?"

Maya bent down and ran a bit of vampire ash between her fingers. "Because I overheard them talking about tracking down something they called 'The Destroyer'. I didn't get the whole story, but there is some Legacy or some such thing that is apparently in jeopardy because of this individual they're hunting. It may be connected it may not be."

"The Legacy of Fenris," Van Helsing deadpanned.

Maya stopped. "Fenris? I thought that was a legend… the so called First Werewolf… the one who supposedly is the originator of Lycanthropy itself."

"It sounds as if you heard the… exaggerated legend. Fenris was not the first Lycan, but he was certainly one of the earliest known. He was a Tyrant who subjugated humans back around 42 BC, when Rome controlled most of Europe. Some even called him the Shadow Emperor. He was a massive were-beast that demanded large tributes from those in the areas he saw as his domain. He very nearly ruled the entire Roman Empire from the shadows… well at least during nighttime hours. It is said that those of whom were involved in the supernatural knew of him, but the Emperor of Rome never had a clue as to what was happening behind the scenes."

"Hard to believe," Maya stated as she stood up. She was now satisfied that no undead were still active in the warehouse. "Was his blood pure?"

"Yes it was," Van Helsing replied. "According to legend, the 1st born of every generation since Fenris down a very specific branch of his family tree kept this purity, making it a wellspring of power for the Shaman of the darker tribes of the Lycans. While the Steel Jaw Tribe was not always dark, recently, they have turned to Dark Shamanistic Traditions in order to exert more influence in their part of the world."

"So they're turning evil."

"Unfortunately… Any clue as to who this Destroyer may be?"

"None of the mercs were from here, they were all foreigners. That means that The Destroyer could also be a foreigner."

"Well, I think I have an idea of who it is. You likely will be surprised when you hear my theory."

"I'm listening."

"Shamanistic tribes are built around prophecy and superstition. The Steel Jaw's dogma is especially confusing, but I know a bit of this particular prophecy. The Destroyer of The Legacy of Fenris will be one of their own. It just so happens that you have a former member of the Steel Jaw Tribe living right there in Tokyo-3."

"Wait… the Steel Jaw Tribe is purely of Germanic…." Her voice trailed off. There was only one German currently in residence in Tokyo-3. "Asuka!"

"Exactly."

Maya's heart skipped a beat. Was the poor, red-headed girl slated to end something that has a legacy over 2000 years old? If that were true….

"I have to find her before The Steel Dawn does."

"Be careful Maya," he cautioned. "You can't do this alone. I'm sending a few Order members to you for additional support. You'll need them. They should be there by tomorrow at the latest. Until then, try not to get caught in something you can't win."

Maya breathed a ragged breath. "My first real assignment and I end up with a larger issue on my hands than a potentially rogue vampire."

"Get used to it. Inner Circle members get all the best jobs. I'll call you tomorrow to check in. Good luck."

"Thanks." Maya hung up the phone. _If Asuka is a Lycan, chances are Ryoji Kaji, her former guardian knew about it. I know he's well connected in the underworld and is likely here to keep an eye on us. It's a risk, but if anyone knows how to track down Asuka, he does._

* * *

**Elsewhere….**

Another battle scene in another distant part of Tokyo-3… dust laden wooden floors spread around a trio of warriors. Piles of ash and tracks of blood were all that remained of what was once a cadre of vampires. Standing amidst the aftermath, a massive red lycan, a blue-haired vampire and dark clad shadowmage calmly eyed what used to be a club, searching for any survivors, undead or otherwise.

"That went easier than expected," Shinji whispered just loud enough for his companions to hear.

"Yeah," Asuka replied. "Not bad for your first real outing, eh Third?" She kicked a pile of dust that used to be the lead vampire in this nest. "I have to admit, we make a good team."

Rei nodded. "Something doesn't seem right though. Vampire nests aren't usually this obvious. I had to do some digging to find the club I tore into over a month ago. This one virtually had a welcome mat inviting all bloodsuckers in."

"Agreed," Asuka replied. "I've had my share of experiences hunting vamps in Berlin… this was too easy of a find."

Shinji whispered a few incomprehensible words to himself as his eyes turned black as the void. He looked around and frowned. "This place is loaded with monitoring devices," he said. "We were being observed."

"But by who?" Rei wondered out loud.

"Steel Dawn," came a fourth voice as it entered the club.

Asuka stood defensively and bared her teeth. She could smell the vamp on him, and she was ready for anything.

"Kenjiro," Rei whispered, causing Asuka to stop. "Are you still following me?"

The dark man entered with a slight smile on his face. "Of course, I have to make sure my childe is still fending for herself well. Besides, you sent me on an errand long ago, and I have finally managed to fulfill my promise to you. The books you requested are waiting for you at your home."

"You know this guy?" Asuka said as she turned towards Rei, beginning to change back to her normal human form.

"He is my Sire," she replied.

Shinji looked at him. "I almost expected the one who turned you to be a bit older. This guy is barely been undead for two decades."

"You can tell that just by looking at me?" he asked curiously.

"Of course I can," Shinji replied. "I'm a Shadowmage."

"Ah! Of course. You are Yui's son."

Shinji's eyes widened in surprise. "You knew my mother?"

"A story for another time. For now we must move on, it is not safe here. There is no guarantee that Steel Dawn will not try to make a move tonight." On that note, he quickly proceeded out the back. Rei immediately followed, with Shinji and Asuka close behind if only because they didn't know what else to do in this situation. It was obvious that this Kenjiro person was trusted by Rei, being her Sire… and she trusted him, they had no reason not to, at least for the time being.

Upon reaching the dirty back alley, Kenjiro immediately shot up the wall, climbing so fast it almost appeared as if he were running on all fours up it. Rei was right behind him with Asuka also climbing, but not as fast. Shinji simply activated a flight spell and kept pace with Asuka.

"Steel Dawn," he whispered to her. "That sound familiar to you?"

"They're a mercenary organization that works out of my homeland," she replied. "Very bloodthirsty, but damn good at what they do. I'm interested to know just how much this Kenjiro knows about what's going on."

After traveling rooftops for a bit, Kenjiro finally stopped on an especially tall building in Downtown Tokyo-3.

"We should be safe here for now," he said at length.

"Alright, spill it," Asuka started at once. "What do you know about Steel Dawn?"

"Steel Dawn was hired by a werewolf tribe out of Germany, the Steel Jaws I believe. They're hunting someone they believe to be a threat to greater plans."

"I see," Rei chimed in. The pieces were starting to come together since they knew exactly who they were hunting. "So they set up that little party for us then."

"Yes," Kenjiro replied. "They're testing you, trying to determine if you have any weaknesses. I came across this information from a friend of a friend who believes one of you three may be who they are hunting. That little observation booth of a club they set up supports that theory."

"I'm the one they are after," Asuka spoke up.

"You used to be a member of the Steel Jaw Tribe?"

She nodded.

"How interesting… I can try to dig up more information about why they are trying to kill you so badly if you'd like. As you are a friend of my Childe, it is the least I could do."

"I'm a Lycan," Asuka asserted. "Why help me?"

"Because I don't care," he said calmly. "Other vampires can hold on to ancient blood feuds and pointless rivalries all they want to. They are wasting time and energy on something that doesn't even matter anymore."

"You are wise beyond your years Kenjiro-san," Shinji said. "If your contacts and informants can shed some light on this mystery, by all means see what you can find."

Kenjiro smiled. "Consider it done, son of Yui. It is the least I can do for her. All of you, be careful. These mercs are not to be underestimated." With that Kenjiro disappeared into the shadows.

"I'd still like to know why he knows my mother," Shinji wondered aloud.

"He was part of Project E," Rei chimed in.

Shinji looked at her with a dumbfounded experession. "He was one of the original EVA designers?" Rei nodded. "Holy shit! I had no idea."

Asuka smirked. "He certainly doesn't look like an engineer. Actually… he's kinda hot. But don't you dare tell him I said that!"

Shinji just held his hands up as if to say he knows nothing. Rei simply chuckled….

* * *

**Later…**

The night was relatively quiet from then on. Around 3 in the morning or so, Shinji and Asuka went home leaving Rei the sole hunter of the night. Rei didn't like the idea of being by herself again, but this wasn't the first time she worked alone. Moving silently though the night, from rooftop to rooftop she searched for vampires, rogue lycans or members of the Steel Dawn. Finding none of the above, she started getting a bit nervous.

They could not have all disappeared. But keeping that in mind, she realized that if they were as good as Asuka seemed to think they were, then it is entirely possible that they could seem to simply vanish whenever they damn well pleased. That didn't inspire good feelings in her.

As she leapt to another rooftop, she caught the scent of a vampire nearby. She stopped and tried to figure out where it was coming from. Her second wiff of the air revealed two things that made her heart run cold; He was extremely powerful, and he was hunting her. She wasn't even sure where he was, just that he was near, he was close… and he had her scent. Realizing she was in over her head, she started to run.

Almost instantly, she felt the other vampire begin to close in on her. Picking up the pace, she dove off of the building rather than across to the next one, kicked off and threw herself back first though a fourth story window of an abandoned building. Quickly, she rolled to her feet and ran into the hall taking a sharp left turn.

Hiding was likely not an option, he could smell her easily. But if she could set an ambush, maybe take him off guard, she stood a chance. Though she didn't need to breathe to live, the tension of the moment and the fear she was feeling made her pant as she ran. She finally knew what it was like to be the prey… and she didn't like it at all.

Rei jumped down the stairwell when she found it, dropping down the center of the shaft for two floors. She pulled herself up onto the second floor when she realized that the stairs below this were destroyed and there was a massive hole in the floor reaching into the sub-basement. It would have been a bit far for her to fall without being able to see the bottom. She ran down the hall to a moderate sized room and ducked in, quietly drawing two swords and stopped breathing.

She could hear him now, he landed on the second floor and started to run down the hallway at breakneck speeds. Gripping her blades tightly, waiting for just the right moment. If she could get the jump on him, she'd have the advantage.

With a yelp of surprise, Rei jumped away from the wall. The vampire must have realized that an ambush was waiting around the corner and went through the wall instead. She rolled to her feet and took a defensive stance as he brushed the debris from his clothing.

He was over 6' tall with long black hair and glowing red eyes. An arcane symbol was carved in the middle of his forehead. He wore a long black trench coat and dark clothing with a liberal amount of steel studs and spikes. His hands were covered in hard leather gauntlets, similarly spiked.

"You're a hard one to find, Miss Ayanami." His voice was like a thousand razors across her spine.

"So, you know who I am."

"You've been causing a lot of kindred grief lately. Some of the clans have begun to take an interest in you… I'm sure not in the way you would like. Now they want you dead. I'm here to make that happen."

Rei took a quick inventory of him. He had no visible weapons, though by the looks of him he probably didn't need them. The arcane symbol on his forehead was a dead giveaway that he was either a mage or was allied with one. The rune could be protective but she had no idea. This type of magic was not in her field.

"You've got guts coming after me directly like this," Rei stated calmly. "This should be interesting."

"Interesting in the 'You're going to be dust in a few minutes', kind of way… maybe."

Rei sensing the time for words had ended launched into a direct high speed attack. Apparently the gauntlets the vampire used were lined with some form of dense steel because every swipe of her deadly blades produced a shower of sparks but failed to penetrate. For the moment he was playing defensively, blocking attacks as they came in. Rei would strike a few times, back off and try a different angle of attack. Every attack angle proved useless though, none of her strikes were getting through.

Finally, the Vampire launched into an all out martial arts offensive. Rei struck at his limbs but even his shins were blocking the hits, also armed with that same dense metal. She flipped over him, trying to aim for a neck strike but was grabbed out of the air and slammed into the ground. Before he could stomp on her, she rolled out of the way fast enough to propel into a side flip and land on her feet.

Soon the other vampire was charging in with a flipping assault of his own, concentrating on kick attacks aimed at head and neck level. Rei continuously flipped away, lashing out with blade strikes whenever possible. When they finally stopped, they were barely outside of each other's striking range and still in combat stances.

"Nice moves," the vampire complimented. "I can see now why the Shadow Consul is so worried."

"Shadow Consul?" Rei asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing you need to know. The information won't help you when you're dead."

"I think you're counting your vampires before their staked my friend, we're equally matched so far."

"So far," he grinned, showing his fangs. "But while you've been wearing yourself out, I've been holding back. Time to finish this." He launched into another charge but this time, he was much faster, too fast in fact for Rei to keep up. Before she realized what happened she was pummeled hard, studs and spikes bit her flesh. She felt her bones crack and her organs rupture.

With a final kick she went flying into the wall sliding down and leaving a bloody trail in her wake. He walked towards her without pomp and without attitude.

"I didn't want to do this, you must understand," he said. "I admire you in way. You have a courage so few of our kind seem to have anymore." As he approached a hidden blade extended from under his wrist. "To me this is a sad day. But the Consul decrees you are to be terminated, and I must follow orders." As he approached her he suddenly stopped, as he spun around Rei saw a line of red suddenly appear along his neck. As his head began to slide off his entire body turned to dust. What Rei saw next was something she wasn't expecting.

Standing there like some dark avenger in dark clothing and a wide brimmed hat, was Maya Ibuki. Until now, Rei's known her as a meak little techie and little more than that. She was a good snack the day she accidentally discovered her true nature, but other than she needed to be protected from Ritsuko, Rei thought little more of her.

Now looking at her though, with a katana in her right hand, a crossbow slung over her shoulder and various vampire hunting tools on her belt, she saw her as a representation of living death. This was not in her plans and this was not the way she wanted to go out.

Rather than take her head though, Maya dropped her katana and kneeled in front of Rei's broken form. She looked concerned as she took her hat off and set it aside.

"First Steel Dawn and now The Shadow Consul," she whispered. "Sometimes it just doesn't pay to get out of bed in the morning." She looked over the broken vampire. "You're low on blood and need to regenerate." She then did something Rei really didn't expect.

Maya gently wrapped an arm around Rei pulling her in and positioning Rei's mouth over her neck. Rei didn't ask questions and bit down.

"Try not to get naughty with me this time," she said as she winced from the bite. "Now isn't the best of settings for that."

Rei remembered how Maya reacted to the blood draining ritual and took only what she needed, and she was mercifully quick about it. When Maya separated from her, she was flushed as Rei would have expected. Rei didn't have chance to lick the wounds but the holes seemed to close on their own which confused her greatly.

"What… what are you Lieutenant Ibuki?"

Getting her composure, she tied a black scarf around the still closing holes in her neck.

"We have a lot to discuss. Right now, I need to get you somewhere safe. My apartment is closer." Without another word, Maya picked her up in her arms as a husband would carry a bride on her wedding night, and leapt from the building though the broken window. Her jumping ability Rei noted, was close to her own.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Rei was laid out on Maya's couch with a glass of AB-, listening to Maya's story about what happened to her after Rei bit her a few months back. She told her everything, about how her uncle was apparently a hunter and a member of a secret society that was in charge of keeping the peace between all races. She told her about how she was inducted, trained and enhanced by their leader. Maya held back little from Rei…

"I guess I should apologize for what I did to you," Rei said when Maya finished her story. "But at the same time, if I hadn't, you wouldn't have turned out to be what you are now."

Maya smiled. "I should thank you actually. If it wasn't for you I never would have learned my true calling." She paused and her face took a more serious turn. "Earlier today I spoke with Doctor Van Helsing about what's been going on in this city. Things are going to get worse before they get better." Maya quickly recanted the information about Asuka and her link to what's been happening.

"I have to warn her," Rei said and started to get up, but her body protested… as did Maya as the young Tech/Vampire Hunter gently laid a hand on her chest. She was almost motherly.

"Its being taking care of," Maya explained. "Relax. The Midnight Order is on top of things, but this is far from resolved. So long as the Steel Jaw Tribe believes Asuka can potentially destroy 'The Line of Fenris', conflicts will continue."

Rei felt a calming sensation when Maya gently held her down. She almost felt like begging her to touch her again when Maya retracted the hand from her chest. "What about the Shadow Consul? Who are they?"

Maya sat back down opposite Rei. "Based on my studies during training, the Shadow Consul is a secret society of Vampires likened to the Illuminati. Basically, they are the puppeteers of the Supernatural Underworld. When the line of Fenris slipped long ago, and the Lycans no longer ruled the Supernatural Underworld, a group of powerful and evil necromancers, who also happened to be Vampires, seized control. Their power was almost impossible for the Lycans to deal with at the time. After a short rebellion, the Lycans fell under Vampiric rule for over 200 years. At some point, the rebellion started anew, and erupted into a full scale underground war which came to be known as the Shadow Wars. By the time that conflict ended, the Shadow Consul had all but vanished, but we know it never was truly dissolved.

"It just so happens that two of the Vampires you killed on your first foray were related closely with upper echelon members of The Shadow Consul. You remember your battle at The Gallows's End?"

Rei's heart would have skipped a beat, had it been beating. That battle was her first real effort to purge unwanted vampires from the city. She nodded to Maya and waited for her to continue.

"You would have killed three of them there had you not spared the life of one of them. Of course when you attacked, the Shadow Consul took it as a direct insult and probably had you watched until now. It's obvious they deem you a sufficient threat if they've been sending Shadow Dancers after you."

"I take it these so called 'Shadow Dancers' are some form of Vampiric Assassins?" Rei asked.

"You would be correct. They practice shadow magic as well as being heavily focused on stealth assaults and martial prowess. They're some of the best assassins in the world, and I have to say… we are both lucky to be alive. I managed to blindside him, normally they're more focused on their surroundings."

Rei grimaced. "I almost felt sorry for him. He admired me for my courage and regretted he was ordered to kill me."

"Most of them would be like that. Despite working for an evil organization and their utilization of the black and occult arts, they are honorable. They only sneak up on one they feel is unworthy. They'd rather face a strong enemy in direct combat where they can push themselves."

"Do you think the Shadow Consul is linked in any way to the Steel Jaw Tribe?"

"No," Maya answered emphatically. "Not possible... Their agenda and goals are too diametrically opposed. The Shadow Counsel seeks to keep their power and expand it, while the Steel Jaw Tribe is looking to elevate the next descendant of Fenris back to where they feel they truly belong… at the top of the underworld food chain. That puts them in direct contravention with The Shadow Counsel."

"That means we're caught in a three front war."

"Looks that way," Maya said with a sigh. "Doctor Van Helsing has made it clear that the Midnight Order will do everything within its power to prevent a full scale war from erupting and maintain the balance of power. Though he hates the Shadow Consul with a passion, he doesn't want to see the Steel Jaw Tribe instigate a power vacuum. That would be more destructive overall. The next thing you know, upstart groups and other underworld organizations will all start vying for their share of the power left behind… then the conflict becomes endless."

Rei sighed, all the political bullshit was starting to give her a headache.

"Where does that leave us?" she asked as her senses finally began to take in the apartment. There was a light scent of jasmine in the room and a thin undercurrent of something else entirely… a mixture of home cooked food, Maya's pheromones and light perfume she'd never smelled before. The décor was rather plain, somewhere between traditional and contemporary with mostly dark furniture and light colored walls and ceilings. Even the carpet was lightly colored, some off white bordering on gray.

"On standby for now," Maya replied. "Doctor Van Helsing has yet to make a final determination on where to go from here. For now, he has his best on the investigation. Until he gives me orders, I'm on standby. I suggest you lay low for the time being. If they sent one dancer after you, they are bound to send more as soon as they learn the first one failed."

"I hate being idle," Rei whispered as she settled down on the couch. "And I hate the thought that the Shadow Consul is probably sending agents to my apartment. They won't find anything of value or importance there… but it's a helluva mess to clean up later."

"Section 2 is probably also going to get dragged into this," Maya commented. "If they sense a disturbance at your apartment, they'll end up facing forces they can't contend with…"

"Fuck… that's right. Commander Ikari is going to realize something's going on in his city. This is going to turn into a cluster-fuck and fast. And the Angel wars are not over yet…."

Maya looked at Rei sadly. She knew that Rei had some major part to play in the designs of Gendo and the secret organization known as SEELE that was behind something major. But even the Midnight Order has been powerless to find out what it is. While the Angels were well outside of the league of the order, Maya had told them that she suspected some kind of supernatural wrongdoings at NERV, which meant that the order had to take some kind of action.

And Doctor Van Helsing had a lot on his plate already….

* * *

**End of Chapter VIII**

* * *

_Sanguis meus fervidus est_,

_Sanguis meus avidus est,_

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_

* * *

**A/N:** I've already placed disclaimers elsewhere in this story, I'm tired of writing them, what has been said has been said countless times before and no longer bares repeating.

So... yeah its been a while since I updated this. Honestly I started painting myself into a corner with this story and got writers block something fierce. Unlike my previous project "Tempest Aterna", I started writing this with even less of a clear idea of where the story was going to go, just a crazy idea of Rei becoming a vampire and let the insanity insue. The ideas fluttered into my head about the three major powers as shown in "The World of Darkness" which of course was the domain of White Wolf. In order to not be a total rip off, I modified a few things, any fans of White Wolf games probably saw the major differences. Honestly, at this point White Wolf is no longer a major inspiration point for this story which is why I still don't see it as a crossover... it really isn't.

The dilemma I'm having now is the Angels... I really don't want to rehash the battles which is why most of them got skipped so far. The real meat of this story is the children and their interactions with the supernatural underworld they now deal with on a nightly basis. In retrospect, I probably should have set the timeframe for this after the angel wars were over. But that's ok... I have plans on how to "change" things up a bit and make it feel less chunky. This shouldn't require a major edit either, which is nice since I've done that once with this story already."

I do apologize for this chapter being somewhat shorter than most but hopefully it was still enjoyable. I do plan on starting chapter 9 at some point in the near future, but I have a lot on my plate. So for everyone out there that's been asking... THIS IS NOT DEAD.

See everyone next chapter.


	9. Liaisons

**A/N:** Lemon Warning

* * *

**IX: Liaisons

* * *

**

**Ten Minutes Later**

The apartment of Rei Ayanami had changed much since the day Kenjiro embraced the resident of this place. The changes were immediately noted by the three Section-2 Agents that entered the apartment. The swept the room quickly, trying to figure out where the occupant could have gone off to. There were no signs of her at all with one exception… a rectangular impression on the sheet on her bed. It looked like a book or possibly books were sitting on it at one point but now they were gone.

"No sign of the First Child," one of the men whispered. "Where would she be this time of night?"

"Cut the fucking chatter," the leader responded. "Keep looking for clues. Korgan is not going to be pleased if we can't find this bitch."

One of the men sifted though the top drawer of her dresser. If he were a lecherous man he might have paid a bit too much attention to the delicate underthings he was sifting though, but instead he got frustrated and pulled the entire drawer out, dumping its contents across the floor.

"Hey what size is she?" the third man asked.

"Baka hentai," the second man responded in a low tone.

"Commander Ikari would be interested to know his little girl goes walkabout during the night," the leader noted.

The second man who was busy looking through the closet turned towards his leader and chuckled. "You should see what she's got here," he replied. "Girl really did go emo-goth-freak on us."

Before he could mouth another word, the blade of a daikatana shot though his body from behind, piercing though his stomach and tearing up into his chest cavity before the body was kicked across the apartment. The other two pulled out their pistols and pointed them towards the closet where a young man with dark hair stepped out.

"My, my," he said calmly as he flipped the blade around causally, sending lines of blood onto the walls and ceilings. "How interesting that The Shadow Consul has men inside NERV. I knew Section-2 was getting lax but I had no idea they had been so horribly compromised." Kenjiro opened his senses as the men stood before him. One of them looked like he was about to piss himself, but the other smelled of kindred and blood.

"Kenjiro Umatsu," the leader said levelly. "I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you had peons do your dirty work for you."

"That was before the Consul decided to send a Shadow Dancer after my childe." With a flash of movement, the remaining human was eviscerated. The vampire in the room didn't even flinch at this display and lowered his gun. The sword was then pointed at his throat and he still didn't flinch. "I did not authorize that."

Without backing up or showing any fear or weakness the man simply lowered his gaze. "Forgive me Wraith… I didn't have anything to do with that. Apparently the Counsul does not trust your plan as much as you thought."

"It was approved! The rest is in my hands."

"Forgive me for saying so," he began as the sword was lowered, "but Consul Member Korgan is not going to wait until your operation is finished to exact punishment for the death of his childe."

Kenjiro was having none of this right now. "The scenario is progressing smoothly… the first two phases have gone off without a hitch. If he continues to send Shadow Dancers after my childe, he may find himself without a head much less have his vengeance."

The man's eyes narrowed down. "Are you threatening a Consul Seat member?" he questioned with an anger tinged voice. "Have you totally gone insane Wraith?"

"Have you Scabbard?" He shot back. "Years of planning… months of waiting for the right moment… and now you are defending a man who is willing to attempt to throw all of it away because he lost a turned childe? I don't see Vertas throwing a fit, and he lost one of his turned ones at The Gallows End as well. Vertas can see the big picture… can you?"

"You are walking a fine line Wraith," he cautioned. "I'm not going to open my mouth about this, but you realize what would happen if any of the Consul Members take note of your opinions and threats? They will kill you."

"Do you think they are going to let me live, knowing what I know, once everything is said and done… and both NERV and the Steel Jaws are nothing more than a memory? No… they won't… Rei and I are as good as dead when this is over. I have no illusions about that."

"You sound as if you've already accepted that fact… or have you come up with a plan?"

Kenjiro put his weapon back into its sheath across his back. "That is my business… you just stick with the plan. Find what you came here for then burn it down."

Scabbard bowed respectfully and went about his business as Kenjiro left… a package of books slung over his shoulder.

"This did not go as planned," he whispered. "Rei should have already had these books in her possession, but I'm being blocked and impeded at every possible turn…

… Korgan was going though great lengths to make sure he failed.

* * *

**Hours Later**

Maya woke up with a sudden start from another nightmare, but this one was different from the others. She saw things that made little sense and unlike the dreams she had during her incident before joining the Midnight Order, there was nothing sensual about this one. It was filled with pain and torture.

When her eyes opened and she tried to sit up from the dream, a pair of hands gently caught her by the shoulders. Her eyes locked with the eyes of the Vampress that was sharing her living space currently, but there was no malicious intent in them at all… just concern.

"Easy," Rei whispered. "You were having a nightmare."

Maya breathed out hard as tears began to break free of her eyes. She was shaking uncontrollably from the fear the dream instilled in her. She didn't even open her mouth to ask for comfort, but Rei apparently knew need when she saw it. The young vampress pulled Maya into her embrace and tried to calm her fear. Despite the fact that Maya knew Rei was basically a walking dead girl, she didn't feel cold to her. No… it was the room itself that felt cold… and it caused Maya to pull herself deeper into the girls embrace in an attempt to escape it.

As soft cries escaped her mouth, Rei tried to shush them as best she could. As powerful as the young vampire huntress had become, Rei knew she was still fragile inside. Emotions are a hard thing to strengthen sometimes. She was braver, but the sheer will it must take for someone who hasn't been a fighter most of their lives to become one… even going so far as to take on a Shadow Dancer… that had to leave a bit of strain on her.

Rei was also wondering just why the young tech trusted her at all, especially since she knew what Rei had done to her before. Yet when she found her in that abandoned building, seconds away from completely bleeding out, she willing sacrificed some of her own blood to keep her from dying. Rei could only conclude that some part of Maya held affection for her, enough that she was willing to trust her despite her past actions. Perhaps what she felt for her was close to what she felt for Doctor Akagi though obviously not as strong. It was strong enough to affect the girl emotionally though.

"I… I saw…" Maya tearfully tried to relate what her nightmare was about but Rei shushed her immediately, rubbing her back to calm her further. "Why… why do I have these dreams?"

"I don't know," Rei answered truthfully. "But we need to find out before they drive you insane. Is there anyone in your order we could consult?"

Maya nodded. "Van Helsing… he'd know."

The name invoked fear in Rei and she didn't know why. Maya sensed it immediately and and pulled back from her to look into her eyes. She saw the fear she sensed in her friend.

"He won't hurt you," she reassured.

"I know," she replied in a hushed whisper. "But I still do not fancy the idea of being near him."

Maya reached out and touched Rei's face causing her turn back and face her. Her cheeks warmed at the touch and Rei had to admit she was a little embarrassed about what she was thinking at that moment. Maya wore little to bed, just panties and T-Shirt. The way she's sitting right now leaves little to the imagination from the waist down, and though the girl was a little boyish on her figure, there was enough feminine there to be incredibly sexy and cute.

"He won't hurt you… just like you never really hurt me." Her hushed voice was not only reassuring, but something about it was getting Rei hot and bothered. Just like when Shinji kissed her the first time, she felt her heart begin beating on its own. The sudden blood flow within her body surprised Maya but she didn't react to it outwardly. She did understand what that meant.

"_I'd love to see what you're like in bed one day."_

Rei never said that to make her feel better, she had really meant it… and here was the proof of that. Certainly Rei must have known about her crush on Doctor Akagi… was that stopping her from taking the next step? Well Maya for one wasn't going to let that stop her. She needed a release and she knew of all people Rei wouldn't mind it at all.

Before Rei could formulate her next move, concerned about her inability to control her bloodflow, Maya leaned up and pulled her into a kiss. It wasn't a sissy kiss either, but a full on "take me now" kind of kiss that Rei couldn't resist. While she would never enjoy the kiss as much as she did when Shinji kissed her, Maya's lips were soft and despite the fervor and passion in the girl, she was a tad on the gentle side. These elements along with the scent of Maya's pheromones and the still lingering taste of her blood in her mouth from earlier in the day combined together to crush her inhibitions like an unstoppable juggernaut.

Rei did not have any bed clothes of her own in Maya's house and was thusly dressed the same. Normally Rei slept in the nude, even before she was turned, but that wasn't something she would do in someone else's home under normal circumstances. So she was dressed in one of Maya's larger T-Shirts. She was amazed at how quickly it was removed once Maya made her move.

Maya gently turned Rei and forced her on her back, straddling her in the process. Before continuing her assault on her body, Maya removed her own shirt and tossed it aside. Though her breasts were far smaller than Rei's, they were pert and from her perspective, well formed. Her nipples were already rock hard due to her sexual frustrations and all of the erotic and often bloody dreams she has. Rei's hands drifted up her back as Maya slid down slightly then draped herself over her, immediately locking onto one of her nipples.

Rei gasped at the sudden feeling that was both new and very familiar. In her mind she got a brief glimpse of her awakened clones doing the same thing. Rather than freak her out from the sudden intrusion of her thoughts, she moaned louder. Maya for all her lesbian tendencies was actually inexperienced at this particular form of sexual gratification but her instincts were on target and she wasn't trying to control herself at this point. As the young tech continued to make her way down Rei's body, Rei made sure she worked her panties off before her small lover made it that far.

Maya as inexperienced as she was, still saw oral as something a bit on the dirty side so instead she slid back up and began to kiss Rei deeply. At first Rei was disappointed Maya didn't go down, but when she came back up and started kissing, she felt the girl's slim fingers on her labia and the thought instantly left her mind. Maya knew what she was doing in this regard. As much as she tried to avoid masturbation, she'd always fall back on it if she had to. She combined her knowledge of how she liked to be touched with observations made based on Rei's reactions to her touches and quickly found she was able to force Rei into making some of the most wonderful sounds she'd ever heard.

Between the probing of her jewel, Maya's kissing, and the petite tech's body rubbing against hers, Rei wasn't sure how much of this she could take. Maya was a little off Rei's center to her left, so Rei pulled up her right leg to her right side with a bent knee, opening her flower more for the tech to explore. Some time during this, she realized Maya had managed to remove her own panties without Rei noticing any slack in her ministrations.

"_Damn she's good…"_

Maya apparently kept herself regularly shaved down there, so when the bare skin at Maya's apex ran itself down her left thigh as she went for one of Rei's breasts again, she almost lost it. But she was trying to hold back… she wanted to enjoy this for as long as she could. Finally, with a tongue flick that was just right combined with Maya's finger probing into her body with the thumb rubbing her clitoris, Rei could take no more and bucked her hips. And true to the phrase, "It's the quiet ones you need to watch out for", Rei screamed in ecstasy rather loudly.

Maya released Rei's breast and smiled softly as she watched Rei in the throes of her orgasm… but she wasn't about to stop yet. She gave Rei maybe 10 seconds to relax before Maya inserted another finger. Despite already having such powerful feelings wash over her, Rei was surprised when her body started reacting again causing her to pant and moan more.

"Not… fair…" she panted out between moans and breaths. "You… haven't… had a turn…."

"The night is young," she whispered back in a voice so sultry, Rei almost didn't believe it came from her. "You wanted to see what I was like in bed."

Rei contemplated how many rounds the girl was willing to go through when she felt the pleasure intensify. She was never fully let down from her first orgasm so the second one hit her fast and it hit just as hard as her first.

This time though while Maya was contemplating her next move, Rei got up the energy to turn the tables on the young tech. Getting a firm hold on her she rolled over forcing Maya onto her back. Maya squeaked with surprise, which Rei noted was as sexy as it was adorable. She complacently spread her legs for Rei to do with her as she pleased, but she wasn't expecting what happened next. She didn't know how it happened but some how, Rei managed to get low on her body. Arms snaked up her back then to her front where fingers gently kneeded her pert breasts until her nipples almost ached with their hardness.

Then she felt a warm kiss to her apex causing her to squeak again. She was just about to protest what Rei was thinking of doing but it was too late. Maya had gotten incredibly turned on by the sounds Rei had made during the first two rounds so her body was already prepared for entry. Her lover took advantage of this forcing her tongue along the slit as deep as she could on a single lick.

The pleasure hit her hard causing Maya to gasp at it, and all thoughts of protesting this activity evaporated. She couldn't believe something that seemed so dirty to her could feel so good. That one lick felt as if it touched every part of her nethers in the same pass, and before she could recover Rei began to eat her out wholeheartedly.

Maya proved she was actually even louder than Rei was. Her small breasts were super sensitive now, and Rei was just too good at this. But Maya knew this had to be her first time too... so how did Rei know how to administer cunilingus like this?

"_Is sex just something Vampires learn automatically when they turn or something?"_

It was the only logical explanation Maya could come up with before all logical thought was ruthlessly stripped from her by the ever growing waves of ecstasy she was feeling. She squirmed, becoming almost oversensitive at the touches. Rei's mouth, Rei's Tongue, Rei's Hands… they were all working in perfect concert hitting every nerve ending on her body that mattered. Her voice cracked as she was rocked by her first orgasm of the night… but it wasn't the first one Rei had ever given her.

Rei didn't let up as she lapped up Maya's juices, wanting more… more than just that sweet nectar… her vampiric side awakening, she wanted blood.

"Do… it," Maya managed out between gasps, almost sensing on some primal level what Rei desired. Maya would have been lying to herself if she didn't want it as well.

Rei released her hold on the tech and slid up her body again. They kissed, Maya not realizing she tasted herself in that kiss as Rei's hand continued what her mouth began. The combination of Rei's leftover saliva and Maya's secretions allowed Rei to push two fingers into the young tech with ease. Rei released her mouth allowing the tech to moan as she turned her head away from Rei, feeling the fingers sliding in and out with almost no resistance. The vampress wasted no time and bit down on the sensitive flesh where her neck met her shoulder and started drawing blood.

She didn't notice it last time due to her injuries but now that she was doing this for the pleasure of it, she did… Maya's blood was rich, almost as potent as LCL. It was like drinking a triple chocolate cake and Rei had to slow down to keep from getting sick on too much of it. The slowed drain had its usual effects on the tech, and Rei slowed her fingering to match the speed. Maya's breathing became labored, the combination of ecstasy from having her blood drained, the slow but sensual touch and the heat from Rei's body put her on cloud nine. She had another orgasm, this one was long and drawn out at first and Maya was crying in pleasure but soon she ran out of breath and could only arch herself silently as she hit the peak. Her muscles strained to take in every last drop of feeling and emotion.

Finally collapsing, she shuddered a bit as Rei withdrew both her mouth and her fingers from her body. Rei lapped up the remaining blood drizzling down her neck. She knew she didn't take near enough from Maya to hurt her this time… this wasn't for feeding after all, it was for fun. As Rei pull the covers over them, Maya snuggled into her. She would have tried for yet another round but she didn't have near enough energy for it. Besides… too much more blood drinking and she might start getting sick again.

"I needed that," she whispered to Rei.

"I know," she replied. "Hopefully after tonight, sex with Akagi isn't going to be a letdown for you."

"Y-you knew about that?" Maya nearly squeaked holding tightly.

"Yeah," Rei replied. "Only those with keen observation skills would have picked it up though." Rei still had her misgivings about Akagi but her time spent with Shinji and Asuka taught her that people can change, and that maybe, after all this time, Naoko's sins should be forgiven. After all, she had a good idea that her first incarnation's murder and Naoko's suicide were part of Gendo's plans.

"So… this didn't mean anything to you?" A twinge of fear crept into Maya's voice.

Rei sighed at that. "Maya… I think you're attractive and very talented in bed, no questions asked. And I do like you a lot, but we both know that our true hearts are in different places. That doesn't mean we can share this with each other… God knows I needed it too. But whether or not we could do it again in the future… that's no longer just our decision anymore."

"You love Shinji, don't you?" It was more a statement then a question. Though Rei nodded just the same. "I'm probably making you feel guilty about what we just did then."

"Vampires have more open feelings regarding sex, though I don't think I'll be talking to Shinji-kun about this anytime soon, not until he's ready to hear it at least… I've dropped enough bombshells on him lately."

Maya decided not to press, though she was curious about what Rei actually meant by that.

* * *

**Elsewhere**

Shinji never made it home… before he and Asuka got back they saw the flames coming from the old residential district where Rei lived.

"Not good," he whispered. Asuka was about to ask him what he was talking about when a shadow seemed to overtake Shinji and he faded into darkness.

"Scheiße!" she yelled. "He could have at least offered me a ride!" Shifting back into Werewolf form she ran on all fours towards the scene.

Shinji pulled himself out of the shadow of a nearby building.

"Rei!" he screamed as he saw the building collapse in on itself from the fire. He threw his senses outwards… and what he sensed confused him.

"_Wait… she's not here… she hasn't been here in a while. She said she was going home…something else must have happened."_

"Pilot Ikari!" came the voice of one of the Section-2 agents. "You need to come with us."

Shinji turned in their direction… there were 4 of them in the detail, 2 on either side of the car, which was standard but something didn't feel right. He ran a brief mindscan and saw what he didn't want to see. They weren't acting under NERV's orders.

"I can't do that," he said and purposefully turned away. At once the four men drew weapons and opened fire. Without a motion or move Shinji raised a force wall between him and the suits then threw it forward with great force. While it wasn't his AT Field, it was a start.

The force of the blow crushed the two men on his side against the vehicle sending weapon sprawling. They impacted so hard that their organs burst and their bones cracked on impact.

"Shit," one of them yelled. Then opened fire. Shinji used his shadow shift ability to dodge the gunfire as he forged a shadowblade katana. Shifting right, he seemed to phase thorough the vehicle to get at point blank range with one of the men, poping out of shadowform long enough to take the man's head and rush the other one, running him through.

"Section-2's been compromised," Shinji said as Asuka finally arrived on scene. He ripped the blade out of the last man and made the katana disappear in a puff of shadowy mist.

"I know," she growled out, her voice huskier in this form. "I smelled vamp on them and the sent was not Wondergirl's." She glared at him. "Next time take me along… I really don't need the exercise."

"Sorry Asuka," Shinji replied. "Still trying to figure out how to teleport more than just myself at one time."

Shinji walked over and picked up two of Section-2's guns, a couple of UMP.45's. He made them float as he started empting the magazines.

"What are you doing?" Asuka asked at his odd behavior.

"Getting armed… I don't need the ammunition." He focused his energy on the clips drawing a mystic rune onto each one before putting them back into the weapons. He then gripped both guns and started firing into the door of the vehicle he destroyed… and kept firing… and firing… and firing. It took Asuka a second to realize the bullets were made of solidified shadow and the ammo was inexhaustible.

"Ok Third, I'm impressed."

He smiled briefly taking that as a compliment, before he removed the holsters.

"We need to find Rei-chan now, she could be in danger."

* * *

**Nearby**

Kenjiro watched as the children left the scene from above on a nearby building.

"You have to admit," he noted, "he's good."

Scabbard came out of the shadows, still wearing his Section-2 Uniform.

"What's it matter?" he responded. "The Consul still believes he can muck things up."

"I don't care what The Consul thinks," Kenjiro snapped. "Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami are almost inexorably linked at this point. They compliment each other and if this plan is going to work, they need each other."

"You still think Korgan wants this to fail," Scabbard observed.

"Of course he does. And I think I'm starting to understand why. He sees me as a threat to his position."

"Ha! You're full of yourself Wraith. Korgan is not afraid of a small timer like you."

Kenjiro smiled at that. "The mere fact that you believe I'm a 'small timer' is proof enough that my theory is correct. I have control over more strings than you think."

"Is that so," Scabbard half chuckled.

"Think about it," he replied. "You saw the books I collected for my childe. It took me less than sixteen hours to get them, though I've held them for a while."

Scabbard knew the books Kenjio was talking about… books on old school thaumaturgy and necromancy, stuff people don't use anymore because most believe it's too dangerous or archaic. Those books couldn't have been easy to get. If he had connections like that…

"Keep talking," he replied, no longer laughing.

"Anything I need, anywhere in the world I can get inside twenty-four hours. I have friends in every country, contacts in almost every industry and enough capital to keep myself stocked, supplied and safe though another world war if needed. You think I'm afraid of the Consul? I've been planning this since the day I was turned, spent years laying the ground work. Everything was already ready to go before I ever got the Consul's permission to began… and now that fool Korgan thinks he's going to tear it apart."

Scabbard was beginning to understand where the real power was.

"It almost sounds as if you planned for that punk kid down there to get his magic too," Scabbard observed.

"I actually hadn't counted on him becoming so powerful so quickly, but I must say this worked out brilliantly. I should have known the son of the great Yui Ikari had that potential."

Scabbard was flabberghasted… It took the Shadow Consul almost since Gehirn was first created to infiltrate their ranks, and now he realized that Kenjiro managed to do it in less time on his own. How the hell did he manage that?

"My scenario is going to change everything," he said with finality.

"What is your ultimate plan?"

"You haven't figured it out yet? Ah well, you'll understand soon enough… assuming you still want to work with me on this."

"You have my loyalty," Scabbard replied without hesitation. "Just tell me what you want done."

Kenjiro smiled at that. "I need you to pick up a package that should be arriving at a designated location in Tokyo-2 tomorrow." He pulled a small card out of his pocket. "This is the address; bring a few of your men with you just in case. I doubt the courier is going to double-cross me but it never hurts to have insurance. Take the package to my place by next sunset and we'll make our next move from there."

"What about Rei?" he asked.

"Don't worry about her, she's in good hands." With that the two men walked away from the scene.

* * *

**End of Chapter 9

* * *

**

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est, _

_Sanguis tuus suavis est  
_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est

* * *

_**A/N:** Sorry about the lack of updates, between college and my muse pushing Adrift, I wasn't sure I'd have chance to update. But here it is, the 9th chapter. Hope you enjoyed the plot twist. I wonder how many people saw this coming...

**Belthasar:** Rei didn't remember the books... she still hasn't but obviously Kenjiro didn't forget.

**The 17th Immortal:** SEELE has yet to make its move... there are a lot of pieces moving about the field and more players than you can currently see. Obviously Kenjiro is using his affiliation with the Shadow Consul to his advantage and set the groundwork. He claims to have friends in every country. Surely you have to question just how he managed to do that in the limited amount of time he had...

**Negima Uzumaki:** That's his main form of teleportation actually.

**gunman:** Maya obviously knows about Rei's connection to Shinji but she so far shows no indication that she knows about the Third Child's special talents... even The Midnight Order doesn't know everything. As far as others becoming supernatural, I have no plans for that currently, but we'll see where the story goes from here.

**KuMardagg:** Maya got lucky... right now a Shadow Dancer could school any two members of the team at the same time.

**saiyan prince1:** ... Kenjiro 6... SEELE Potentially 7...

Thanks again for all the reviews... see you again soon.


	10. Rift

**X: Rift**

* * *

**20 Minutes Later**

Shinji continued though the city with purpose… he had locked into Rei's essence signature in the Æther but was confused by its location.

"She hasn't moved," Shinji said to himself.

"Wondergirl?" Asuka asked keeping pace with him in her Werewolf form. "Is that good or bad?"

"Don't know yet," he replied as he continued to the suburban area outside of Tokyo-3. "I don't even know why she's out this far."

"Maybe she already knows about the compromise. I'd want to get out of dodge if I knew that."

He stopped suddenly causing Asuka to almost run into him. They stood outside a suburban apartment with the name Ibuki M prominently displayed on the mailbox.

"She ran to the bridge bunny?" Asuka asked questioningly "Why the hell would she run to that lesbian?"

"Now how do you know she's a lesbian?" Shinji asked with a tinge of annoyance. He hated when people were given labels like that.

"I know she has a thing for Doctor Akagi," she replied sounding disgusted. "She's at least bi."

That really didn't sit well with Shinji, but he wouldn't believe for a moment Rei would do something with the tech. He walked up to the door of the apartment and noticed the lights were off, but he wasn't about to try the lock. Subsuming his body into pure shadow he slipped though the gap on the bottom and reformed himself on the other side. Asuka was unable to follow and growled with annoyance before shifting back into human form.

"Right so I'll just wait out here," she said and crossed her arms. "Typical."

Inside Shinji moved towards Rei's location and found her in the kitchen in the dark by the sink. She was only wearing a T-Shirt and underware, which made Shinji raise an eyebrow.

"There you are," he said trying to ignore this for the moment. "I've been worried!"

Rei jumped despite herself. "Shinji-kun… I wasn't expecting you to show up here."

"I wasn't expecting to find you here. I guess you already know what happened then."

"What do you mean?" she asked. Shinji realized instantly she had no idea… so why was she here? He sensed another mystical presence on her and she smelled a little strange to him. Something was off here….

"You're apartment was burned down," he said flatly.

"What?" she gasped with surprise. "By who?"

"Section-2 attacked me outside the apartment when I refused to go with them. They probably did it. They've been compromised Rei."

"Commander Ikari has to know." She started to move towards the living room when Shinji gently grasped her by the wrist.

"Rei… I'm sensing another mystical presence on you," Shinji whispered. "What's going on here?"

Rei froze instantly. She was planning on telling Shinji about what she had just done with Maya but not until she thought he was ready for it… the cat was about to come out of the bag now and she had to make a choice.

"Shinji-kun… there is something I should tell you."

In one of the those cases of "worst timing known to man", Maya walked into the kitchen. Though her regenerative abilities granted to her by the process instilled in her from The Midnight Order were potent, her most recient injuries were still visible to a discerning eye, especially the one she received barely half-an-hour ago. Shinji noticed this instantly and put two and two together. His eyes hardened instantly.

"Shinji?" Maya nearly gasped. "What are you doing in my apartment? Did Rei let you in?"

"No," he said flatly. "I let myself in."

Rei trembled under Shinji's grasp. Unconsciously his grip tightened at the revelation. "Shinji-kun… please don't be mad."

Shinji's gaze shifted to her. "How long has this been going on Rei?" he asked harshly.

"I… I was going to tell you!" Rei gasped out.

"When? In the morning? A week from now?"

"Shinji!" Maya called out snaping his attention towards her. "Please don't be mad! I-I-It was my fault! You know how vampires are, I took advantage of her!"

"Maya," Rei almost pleaded and shook her head.

"It was all me… I'm a sick girl you see… I get off on letting vampires drain me!"

Shinji gently let go of Rei's arm as she spoke.

"No… you can't take the whole blame for this," Rei said in low tone. "I could have resisted."

Shinji's anger was peaking and both girls noticed it. His aura of shadow around him had become so dark that even in the almost complete blackness of the apartment, it was noticeable. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists at their sides, struggling to keep both his magic and his anger in check. Both girls shuddered as the temperature in the room to a nosedive.

"I need a minute," he grunted out before he stomped off into the living room.

Rei was about to pursue him when Maya gently grasped her arm.

"No, you need to give him time to calm down," Maya protested.

A single bloody tear trailed down her cheek. "This… this is my fault," she whispered.

"Give him time Rei… he has to calm down so he doesn't completely blow a gasket."

Rei only lowered her head in shame as she maneuvered to one of the chairs at Maya's small kitchen table.

"So… Shinji's a Shadow Mage huh?" Maya asked trying to get Rei's mind off of the current tragedy and keep her occupied. She was certain that once Shinji calmed down, this would all get sorted out, though she had little doubt Rei was going to be in the proverbial dog house for a while.

In the living room Shinji sat cross legged in the middle of the room, closed his eyes and tried to calm his turbulent emotions. He didn't want to believe Rei would betray him like this though he knew that Maya and her shared a bit of a racy night this evening. But perhaps he was a bit hard on her. Perhaps she was going to tell him… but Shinji had been betrayed so many times in his life, it was hard not to be paranoid about these things.

He knew one thing about vampires, especially female vampires… they were emotional and sensual creatures. It wouldn't have taken much to get Rei in bed with the tech… the promise of a warm body could have been enough… but then again he didn't know what else happened today. Was Maya's companionship what brought her to this house or was it something more sinister?

Breathing evenly, he began to calm his turbulent emotions. He remembered the day he went to see his mother… Rei had confronted him there and tried to get back together with him. He had seen into her mind and heart that day, and there was no deception there. Shinji decided to stretch his mind out again and brush the surface of both of the girl's minds… but suddenly stopped himself.

"The fuck am I doing," he said to himself. "Peeking into their minds because of this? No! I can't do that! If I keep falling back to something like this I'm no better than my father… and I have to be able to trust Rei enough that what happened here was not betrayal."

He heard footsteps enter the living room and sensed it was Rei. She was approaching cautiously as if he were a rabid wolverine that might jump her at any moment.

"Shinji-kun," she whispered softly. He could hear the tears in her voice which wrenched at his heart… he desperately wanted to believe in her.

"Rei-chan," he whispered softly. "Come sit in front of me please."

She did so without hesitation. Now much calmer than he was a minute ago he opened his eyes to see bloody tracks down her face. He reached out and wiped them away.

"I hate to see you cry," he said. "Tell me everything."

Rei looked abashed as she began to speak. "I should tell you everything that happened between me and Maya after I was turned. I didn't think I'd have to bring this up… but I can't keep it inside anymore."

Shinji listened carefully to her story… how Maya had discovered what she had become and how Rei had to alter her thoughts slightly to keep her identity hidden. Shinji wasn't pleased to hear that but he understood that what she did was necessary for her ability to take hold, especially since Rei was only recently turned at that point. Then she relayed what she knew about Maya and what happened to her. Shinji raised an eyebrow at that story, not realizing that the reason Maya had any kind of a mystical signature in the Æther was because she had become in essence a supernatural entity herself. Rei went on to confirm that Maya was the aggressor and that Rei had given into her primal impulses, perhaps a bit too easily.

After he took all this in, he contemplated it all for a few moments. Rei was afraid of what would come out of his mouth next.

"You know… I actually don't mind the fact that you had sex with Maya," he said, "but what I do mind is the fact that you never told me anything about her before… or that you had to do what you did to her those months ago."

"I…" Rei shuddered. "I'm sorry… I didn't think this was going to come up again. Maya already forgave me for what I did and I figured it was over."

"The only reason I'm not entirely furious with you is because you almost died today," he said with a bit of a shudder in his voice as well. "If it wasn't for Maya, I'd have lost you forever. And I concede that what happened tonight was probably due to stress, emotions and a dozen other factors that conspired to rob you of your good sense. But make no mistake… I'm still not happy with you."

Tears of blood rolled down her face as he spoke. "Please don't hate me," she pleaded.

"I don't hate you Rei-chan," he affirmed. "But I am disappointed in you. I don't mind this relationship you have with Maya, because I know your heart is with me."

Rei smiled as she started wiping the tears away.

"What really irked me was that you didn't even tape the event for future viewing," Shinji got out with a smile.

Rei's eyes widened at that comment and suddenly Shinji got whacked in the head from behind.

"Baka hentai!" Asuka yelled in her human form. She whacked him again. "I knew you were a little perverted hentai!"

But the look on Shinji's face told Rei that he was in fact just joking to lighten the mood. She had to laugh at the display, they acted like siblings sometimes.

"Ow! Asuka! Geeze! I was just kidding! How the hell did you get in here anyway?"

"The door wasn't even locked, baka! You just had to go in the fancy way didn't you?"

Maya also chuckled at the display, thankful that things had been, at least partially defused for the time being. She knew Shinji was still a little mad at Rei but at least their relationship wasn't destroyed over her own selfishness. Maya wouldn't have been able to live with herself if that happened.

* * *

**That Morning**

Shinji's cellphone started ringing. He yawned, currently lying on the couch with his mostly uncovered girlfriend laying on him. The anger he felt last night was gone, but he knew this was something he'd have to get used to. Rei was potentially a nymphomaniac due to being a vampire, and he couldn't always be there for her. In a way he was jelous of Maya since she technically got to get Rei in bed first, but in his own mind lesbian sex didn't count.

He reached into his pocket and looked at the number… immediately he sighed. He knew this call was coming.

"I'm fine Misato," he said as soon as the phone was opened.

"Where the hell are you?" she nearly screamed, causing Shinji to hold the phone away from his ear. This was a partial mistake as the sound cause Rei to begin stirring, making annoyed sounds.

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said dryly. "I'm still in Tokyo-3, and no I'm not running away."

"Ayanami's apartment was burned down last night," Misato said with obvious concern in her voice and still a bit of anger for her ward not coming home last night.

"What?" Shinji said, acting as surprised as possible. "Who did it?"

"We don't know… what's worse is we found a total of six Section-2 members dead; two inside the apartment and four outside. Rei is missing."

"She's with me," he admitted.

"What? Why?"

Shinji sighed. "I really can't discuss that over the phone."

"Oh?" Misato said in a teasing voice. "I suppose I should be glad little Rei-Chan was with big old Shinji-sama last night!"

"M-Misato-san!" He almost yelled into the phone. "This is no time for teasing! You just told me that Rei's apartment has been destroyed and people were murdered."

"Sorry Shinji-kun, I couldn't help it." Her voice took a serious turn. "Is Asuka with you too?"

"Yeah, she's here."

"Wow, both of them?"

"Misato-san!"

"Sorry," she reigned in her teasing attitude. "The three of you need to get to NERV immediately. You're likely still in danger."

"We'll leave as soon as we can," Shinji replied and hung up before anymore awkward questions or teasing could ensue. "Fuck."

"This isn't good," Rei said, echoing his sentiment.

"No… it isn't," he replied. "I'll need to conjure proper clothing for us. We can't go into NERV dressed like this."

"Or armed like that," Asuka asserted as she got up off the floor, referring to the pistols Shinji pilfered from the Section-2 agents.

"You slept on the floor?"

"Yeah, so? You and Wondergirl monopolized the couch and I wasn't about to ask Maya for room on her bed… that'd just be way too weird."

Rei got up allowing Shinji to do so. "Speaking of which, we need to get her up. Running to NERV wouldn't be a good idea. Not to mention they probably already traced down our location."

"We're going to have a hard time explaining this away Third," Asuka replied. "No amount of clothing change is going to stop that."

"I know," he replied. "We can bite the bullet on this one… say we went out on the town to unwind and we got carried away with our wandering, so we crashed at Maya's because her house was close by and we knew she didn't mind."

"That'd be enough for most people," Maya replied as she walked in, obviously quite awake. "I'm concerned that it wouldn't be enough to convince Commander Ikari or Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki." Maya was not just awake, but she was also dressed in her NERV Uniform.

"They'll believe me," Shinji said at length. "If I have to, I'll do a little mind sphere magic on the two of them to get them to see things my way. I hate using it on other people because it makes me feel evil, but I have no qualms about doing it to my father." He stood up and conjured forth some clothing… his normal school attire for himself and a normal school uniform for Rei. He turned towards Asuka and said, "Want the same outfit you had on the 'Over the Rainbow'?"

"That's fine," she dismissed. As soon as she had the outfit in hand she looked at it closely. "Are these permanent?"

"They better be," he said. "I just summoned them from their respective locations."

"And how do you know where I keep my dresses you perverted baka?"

"Actually that one was hanging in the laundry room," Shinji said with a smile. "You forget who does the laundry at home."

Asuka kept her mouth shut at that point.

"Is the bathroom opened?" Rei asked. "I need a shower."

"After last night I'm not surprised," Asuka said off handedly, earning a sour look from Rei.

Shinji glared at her as Rei left the room in a hurry, not wanting to relive last night.

"That… was uncalled for," he said with anger in his voice. Maya noticing that darkside of Shinji trying to surface again cringed. She hoped this wouldn't get ugly.

"I don't see how you can dismiss what she did Third," she retorted. "She essentially cheated on you!"

"You obviously don't understand vampires the way I do," he replied. "Either that or you're letting your inborn racial animosity get the better of you. Yeah I'm a little hurt that she did what she did, but I forgave her because that is her nature. If I can't accept that, then I don't deserve to have her as a girlfriend."

"So the great Shinji-sama is playing the martyr again," she cut. "You're unbelievable. Besides what they did in there was just sick…."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" he snapped, and his voice echoed as if he had said it inside of a great chamber… the words punctuated by what almost sounded like distant thunder. Maya squeaked in surprise, knowing that Shinji was getting pissed now. "You just don't get it so don't even bother trying! Drop it, or I swear to Kami I'll drop you."

Asuka was instantly taken back by the sudden shift in Shinji. And he outright threatened her… which he would have never done before. Before he learned magic he was a spineless little coward… now that he had power he was aggressive, but he was also confident. She wondered if him obtaining magical power was really a good thing… especially how much power he seemed to have.

"Humph… if that's the way you want it… so be it. But when she breaks you're heart don't come crying to me."

"You'd be the last person I come to for support," he said sourly. "I'm starting to wonder just how much you really do care…."

Those words stung Asuka….

"_Damn it I care about you ok?"_

"_You… care about me?"_

"_Yes Baka I do, ok? I know I don't exactly show it like a normal person would… but I'd be upset if anything happened to you…"_

"How… how could you say that?" Asuka whispered as tears began to trail down her face.

"How? How? Isn't it obvious? You were always against Rei and I being together, I could tell… I just can't figure out why. Even if it is racial animosity that drives a rift between the two of you, your actions are still illogical. Why can't you just be happy for us and let me deal with any bumps in our relationship?"

At that Shinji left the room, leaving Asuka in tears. Just when she thought she finally had him as a friend, he turns on her like this… it's because of that vampire bitch… it had to be.

Maya approached her with the intent to be consoling but before she even got within three feet of Asuka, the redhead growled like a pissed off wolf. Maya froze instantly.

"I don't need you're pity," she snapped. Turning swiftly she left the house, slamming the door on the way out.

Maya looked down, sadness welling up inside her threatening to break free.

"This is my fault," she whispered. Now she wished she'd never put the moves on Rei like that… the last thing she wanted was to be the cause of the end of someone's friendship. "Why can't I have just a moment's happiness?"

She stopped fighting the tears and let them flow. Just then, her phone began to ring.

"Wonderful timing," she whispered, a slight hitch in her voice. She picked up the phone and composed herself.

"Hi Maya," came a friendly voice but one she didn't recognize.

"Um… Hi," She replied.

"Is it 3:16 yet?"

Maya's heart skipped a beat. That was the sign that she was being contacted by the order. They always used signs and counter-signs when contacting members over lines that could have monitoring on them, and her home phone line she knew had to be tapped by Section-2. It must be a lower level order member though, otherwise they would have contacted her on her personal cell… it wasn't monitored but only inner circle members had her number.

"It will be soon," Maya replied.

"Good to hear. It's been a while, and I know I haven't kept in touch as much as you'd like me to, but I'd like to touch base with you today if you can."

"Sure, I'll be on lunch around 1 o'clock," she replied.

"Any chance we can meet earlier?"

Maya thought for a second. "I can get away with taking it early today. I'll see you around noonish at the café on Takaga Street near the bank."

"Perfect! I'll see you then."

Maya bid the caller goodbye then finished getting her stuff together.

* * *

**Meanwhile**

Rei began to disrobe in preparation for her shower, when she sensed her Sire fading into existence.

"Is this a bad time?" he said. In reality he didn't mind seeing her naked and always thought she was a very beautiful creature, especially considering her unique nature. He also knew she had no real sense of shame, which was a plus. This time however, Rei stopped disrobing and looked towards him a little annoyed.

"Don't you knock anymore?"

"I never did," Kenjiro replied. He was a bit puzzled about her sudden modesty but decided he wouldn't let it bother him. Instead he focused on why he came here and placed the stack of books on the hamper. "I managed to save these from the apartment. There were people looking for you… I believe they wanted you dead."

"The books…" she whispered confused. "I… I'd forgotten about them. I never made it home…"

Kenjiro already knew what happened but he knew Rei wouldn't know that and would have no reason to believe he would. "Odd, what distracted you last night?"

"A Shadow Dancer," she said flatly as she started the water.

"I see," he replied. "So the Shadow Consul has stepped up its efforts then."

Rei was surprised to hear him say that. "You knew they were after me?"

"I only recently found out," he replied. "I was going to warn you tonight that they were active and that they were after you."

"Do you know why?" Rei of course already knew but she wanted to see just how much Kenjiro knew.

"Consul Seat Member Korgan had a Childe here in Tokyo-3. Do you remember The Gallow's End?"

So he knew that much. Where was he getting his information?

"Yeah," she said. "I killed quite a few vamps that night."

"Three of them were turned by Consul Seat Members… You let one live, Korgan and Vertas's turned were not so lucky. I heard that Vertas wasn't happy with the event but took no action. Korgan however is a hard-liner, even for the Shadow Consul. Unfortunately, he's also the one who has direct control over the Shadow Dancers."

"Wonderful," she whispered. "How do you know so much about the Shadow Consul?"

"I have my ways," he said. "I still have regular contact with my own Sire and he keeps me informed on such things. I think he might be part of the Grand Coven but he won't talk about that."

"Ah yes, I remember you telling me about that."

"Have you had anymore dreams about it?"

Rei nodded. "The dreams are almost always the same, but I keep noticing new things every time I have them… I know there are twelve members, one of them keeps telling me I shouldn't be there right before I wake up."

"Only high members in the Coven normally appear at these gatherings. I've learned the Grand Coven holds other meetings between lower tier members all the time. Unfortunately for me, I haven't found my way in yet."

Rei chuckled. "Politics is not my cup of tea. I don't know why I keep having these dreams. I know they're some kind of blood memory but…"

"Don't let it bother you too much," Kenjiro said dismissively. "Now before I go, I must tell you a few things about these books. The first two in the stack discuss the finer points of Thaumaturgy while the last two deal specifically with the Necromantic arts."

Rei looked towards the stack and noticed there were five books total.

"What of the one it the middle?"

"Oh, I think you'll like that one… if you can figure it out."

Rei was about to question what he meant by that, but he disappeared into the steam emitted by the shower, fading out of existence.

"I hate it when he does that."

* * *

**Later**

The car ride to NERV was in absolute silence. In order to transport the books Kenjiro gave her, she had Shinji turn her book bag into a dimensional pocket. Though he questioned her about the books, she said it was vampire magics. Shinji knew he probably couldn't learn anything from them.

Not surprisingly, Rei was summoned to Gendo's office as soon as she arrived. Without hesitation she made her way there. Even as a vampire, the darkness and size of the place was turning her blood to ice.

"You wanted to see me sir," she deadpanned. It wouldn't do to reveal just how much she's changed.

"Have you been informed as to the state of your apartment?" he asked levelly from behind folded hands.

"I have sir."

"There are forces at work that conspire against us, and the scenario." Gendo gauged her responses. Something was off about her but he simply could not put his finger on it. The reports from Akagi about her performance were also alarming. She was synching with her Eva much better than he had anticipated, especially against Israfel which was a fight she should not have been involved in, let alone had been able to win on her own.

"I understand. May I ask a question?"

Gendo raised an eyebrow. It wasn't often his doll would desire to ask for information beyond what she was told. He decided to see where she was going with this.

"Proceed."

"Do we know who is attempting to disrupt the scenario?"

"Not as of yet. We do know that Section-2 has somehow been compromised. We may have to institute a purge."

"I see."

"You don't approve?"

Rei looked down but only for a split second. "I have no feelings about it either way. Security is paramount to the success of the scenario."

It was an expected answer but something was just not sitting right with him. Something about her was irking him in a way he could not put to words. As much as he was loath to admit it, even to himself… there was something about Rei that was giving him a sensation he was just barely familiar with…

… fear…

… something about her scared him deep within his core. He'd never show it, but it was something he needed addressed with Doctor Akagi.

"Rei… I want you to submit to a full medical examination," he ordered.

"Very well. When?"

"Immediately," he replied. He reached over to his intercom. "Doctor Akagi, prepare a room in the ward. I want a full medical diagnostic done on Pilot Ayanami immediately."

"As you wish," Ritusko replied over the intercom.

"Shall I go now?" Rei asked.

"Yes," Gendo responded. "I will call for you again when I need you."

She bowed respectfully and left the room. Inside she was worried. Up until now, her condition was kept secret by her ability to force her body to simulate biorhythms. A full medical exam would be almost impossible to fool. They'd know she was a Vampire, and then Gendo would kill her.

As she left the room, her heart rate began to pick up. This was not going to be easy. She might have to get into Akagi's head….

* * *

**Elsewhere**

Kenjio entered the top floor of an abandoned warehouse not far from where Rei's apartment used to be. This place was his base of operations for the time being. His laptop set up on an old desk was beeping at him, which meant someone was attempting to contact him discreetly.

Before sitting down at the desk he took a look around the room. A few shelves with a few books on them, weapons set up all over another wall, his box spring and mattress on the floor and his sheets were a mess.

Nothing was disturbed which was good, he always had his room this messy on account that he was seldom here except when he needed rest or was expecting a call. It was still early in the day, so he knew Scabbard wasn't at the drop just yet, and he certainly wouldn't bother him this early in the day. Tossing a book he was carrying onto his bed he sat at the desk and opened the laptop. The built in camera zoomed on him and his communication program auto-executed. The face on the pop-up window was not one he wanted to see right now.

"Consul Seat Member Korgan…" he deadpanned. "To what do I owe this honor?"

"Cut the bullshit Wraith," he snapped. "You're interfering in an internal matter now."

"My apologies Consulman, but your need for revenge against my childe is interfering with the scenario. I must request that you desist… you've already put the scenario in jeopardy. It is likely that Commander Ikari is going to force Rei to stay within NERV as they now know that their internal security forces have been compromised."

"Don't lecture me you peon!" he snapped. "It was your little bitch that killed my childe. He was going to succeed me on the consul in a century or so, now I have start over again! Do you understand how much of a pain in the ass it is to find the perfect person to turn?"

"You're petty concerns mean nothing to me," Kenjiro replied. "The entire Consul agreed to this plan and it has been in the works now for the better part of two decades. Don't fuck this thing up over a personal slight. You can take it out on me and her later, AFTER everything is all said and done."

"Very well," he said, anger still laced in his words. "But when this is over there will be a reckoning, and you won't like it… I guarantee."

At that point the line went dead.

"Fucker…" was all Kenjiro could say to that. "He better back the hell off… I'm going to have a helluva time fixing this mess."

* * *

**Minutes Later**

Rei entered the examination room and looked about. Akagi was waiting by the table setting everything up.

"Don't know what this is all about but you better not give me a hard time today Ayanami," Ritsuko said with annoyance laced in her voice. "I was supposed to have lunch with Maya today, and she had to take off an hour early for some reason she wouldn't explain to me. So if you don't mind, get out of your cloths and let's get this over with."

Rei obediently stripped out of her clothing and got up on the table. She focused inwardly trying to approximate all the vital functions of a living being.

"You're relationship with Maya has become closer lately," Rei observed.

"Why do you care?" Ritsuko asked with a bit of annoyance in her voice.

"I think it's nice."

"Since when does the Commander's Doll have an opinion about anything?"

Rei's eyes hardened. "I am not a doll."

Ritsuko felt the air in the room get colder for a moment… and a sudden primal revulsion told her it came from Rei. She looked at her right hand where she held a medical steel implement normally used in such examinations. At this angle she should be able to see Rei's reflection… she couldn't.

Without facing Rei she pulled out a compact she used to touch up her makeup. Rei was in her own world at that moment, hating the fact that she had to be here and try to keep up appearances. She didn't see Ritsuko open the compact and angle the mirror towards her. She did however hear it snap closed.

"What are you?" Akagi asked her, not wanting to believe what she saw.

As Rei sat up Ritsuko backed away from her in fear.

"Nosferatu," she deadpanned. "Don't worry… I'm not going to hurt you."

"You're a vampire?" she gasped. "I-Impossible! Vampire's don't exist!" But the more Ritsuko tried to scientifically deny it, the more obvious it was that she was wrong. Rei's eyes glowed and she smiled at the doctor, revealing her fangs.

At that point the doctor was against the wall. She had no way to call for help, but then something happened… realization struck her, and her fear started turning into anger.

"You…" she whispered as she clenched her fists. "You hurt Maya… You hurt MY Maya!" Ritsuko rushed her in a moment of courage only to be suddenly thrown onto the examination table. Rei mounted her instantly pinning her down. "I'll kill you for this!" Ritsuko yelled as she struggled against Rei's hold on her.

"I'm glad to see you so protective of Maya-chan," Rei said. "As it happened, she discovered the truth about me and I had to protect myself. I never wanted to hurt her, only sedate her so I could remove the memory of me from her mind."

"She was out of work for almost a month!"

"And she probably needed the vacation," Rei countered. "I'm not going to get into an argument about this with you. The fact is… at first… I hated you. And I hated the idea that Maya was in love with you."

"She…" Ritsuko's voice trailed off and she stopped struggling. She already knew that Maya had a crush on her but she thought it was probably just a phase with the girl, and that Maya would be back to being her normal self again once her curiosity was satisfied. She didn't realize it wasn't a phase or passing fancy… the girl was in love with her. And the more she thought about it, the more Ritsuko realized she loved Maya too.

"Your mother killed The First, and I know you hated me because of how much I monopolized Commander Ikari's affections. I was prepared to kill you if necessary… but as it happens, I care for Maya as well. And murdering you would damage her beyond hope of repair." Rei closed her eyes a moment, briefly imagining the tech turned Vampire Hunter hunting her. It wasn't a pleasant thought. "I can't do that to her…." Her voice got lower when she reached that point.

Rei's emotions were still in turmoil... months after she was turned and she had yet to grasp the full depths that emotions can reach. The thoughts about what the latest incident were probably doing to her, especially since she blamed herself for almost destroying her and Shinji's relationship, made her sad. Combine that with still not quite getting over almost losing Shinji to a single bad decision nearly broke her.

"She's… one of the only friends I have…." Tears of blood fell from Rei's eyes onto the doctor's face as she realized that. Unlike many people she knew, her list of close associates was far from impressive.

Ritsuko felt Rei's hold on her lessening but wasn't about to make any sudden moves. She did however gently release her right wrist from Rei's clutches, reached up to Rei's face and wiped her tears away. Rei's emotions were a rollercoaster and completely out of control, and for the first time in her life, Ritsuko actually felt sorry for her. The transformation she went though could not have been good to her.

"I'm… I'm sorry," Ritsuko whispered. "I can't imagine what you're going through."

Rei got off of her and leaned against the examination table as Ritsuko got up. Rei didn't want to seek the comfort of the bottle blonde and fought desperately to keep her emotions under control.

"As a Vampire, the drugs that Commander Ikari ordered you be prescribed won't help you anymore."

"They were meant to keep me docile and controllable… weren't they?" she asked sadly.

"That and keep your body from deteriorating," Ritsuko confirmed. "I can only assume since you became a Vampire… something about the condition is keeping your body from falling apart….

"Probably my regeneration."

"I have to assume."

They stayed there in silence for almost a full minute; Ritsuko sitting almost sideways on the examination table, Rei leaning against it to her right facing away. She continued to wipe her tears away but she was finally beginning to get a handle on her sadness.

"Where does this leave us, Doctor Akagi?" she asked.

Ritsuko sighed. "Honestly, I'd like nothing more than to see Commander Ikari's scenario fail. He's done nothing but use my family since day one. Even I fell into the trap… at first he was everything I thought I needed…. The next… well… I was no better than a doll myself…."

Rei raised her head a bit. "I still remember what it was like before I was turned… not having any purpose or meaning to my life other than what The Commander had for me… to die in a controlled Third Impact in order to resurrect his wife."

Ritsuko cringed a bit, knowing she was not innocent in this mess.

"I'm no one's doll anymore. My life is my own."

Ritsuko sighed. "I'm already hell-bound… but maybe I can rest easier if I tried to help fix this mess. Neither Ikari's scenario or SEELE's can come to pass, otherwise the world is doomed."

"I know…" Rei sighed. "There is more I need to tell you. It's about Maya specifically."

"What about Maya?" Ritusko turned from her position and faced her.

Rei for her part moved to start dressing again. Though she didn't mind being naked in front of the doctor, she figured now that the conversation was less medical and more personal, she didn't need to be in such a state of undress.

"She's special in more ways than you know. For obviously reasons, she couldn't tell you. She's not like me… so you can relax." Rei had sensed Ritsuko's sudden apprehension and knew why she was worried.

"How is she special then?"

"All in good time, I'd prefer she tell you herself."

* * *

**End of Chapter 10**

* * *

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est, _

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_

**

* * *

A/N:** This was a rough chapter to write… really emotional… but then again, when is the fallout from an event like the last chapter ever easy on anyone. It also ended up a lot longer than I expected it to.

**Tearian:** When it comes to relationships with vampires, its hard not to have this sort of shit happen. Vampires are normally every passionate creatures and Rei really couldn't control herself. She actually lucked out that Shinji found out this soon after it happened, the fallout would have been worse if time had passed before she told him. Gotta feel sorry for Maya though, she thinks everything is her fault.

**Henry V:** Welcome back. I've only reciently started putting more work into this one.

**gunman:** Perhaps I didn't explain the whole blood thing correctly… I'll go back and correct it later but the short form is its not a sickness. Maya… due to the process that created her, actually has richer blood than the vast majority of humans out there. As a result a vampire can feed off of her and be full while taking less blood. Rei realized this during their little bedroom escapade. If Rei had drank too much it would be like having that fifth serving of Thanksgiving Turkey… it wouldn't kill her but it would give her a tummyache something fierce.

Well I hope this answered everyone's concerns. This story has become very enjoyable to write again so I'll try to get another chapter out before too long. This current college class is kicking my ass though…


	11. Fade

**A/N:** Here we go again... this one is a little less action packed than previous chapters but there is a bit of bloodshed at the end for your enjoyment.

**

* * *

XI: Fade**

**

* * *

Takaga Café **

Maya picked out a table away from everyone else and secretly activated the white noise generator in her pocket. Even if NERV was trying to listen in on the conversation she would soon be having, they would fail. Of course, every cellphone within 30' also became inoperative, but that was the nature of the machine. Within minutes of her sitting down a man in a business suit walked up to the table.

"Hello Maya," he said in a friendly tone. "Glad to see you again."

She looked up and smiled. It was Kaga Tsugaru, one of the Japanese low tier members of the order. Under normal, less public circumstances, he would address her quite differently as she was an inner circle member. But here, he would have to be more casual otherwise arouse suspicion. Maya was ok with that though, she didn't like to stand on ceremony.

"Good to see you too Kaga," she said cheerfully. "What news have you?"

"Helsing has found out that the Steel Jaws have moved a heavy mercenary unit into Tokyo-3 to deal with the so-called 'Destroyer'."

"No surprise," she said though she hated the news already. "Everyone they've sent so far has been defeated by Rei and Asuka. Things have become a bit more complicated though. I just found out that Commander Ikari's son is a Shadow Mage… and a very powerful one at that."

His face grimaced at that. "I thought Shadow Magic was forbidden."

"It isn't, just restricted… and Shinji Ikari is not an individual that has been cleared to use the power. He controls himself rather well though, so I don't think he's going to be a concern. The problem is, his enemies likely know of his capabilities."

"They're going to step up their efforts then," Kaga concluded. "Not good."

"It gets worse," she continued. "The vampire Rei Ayanami is now being hunted by the Shadow Consul."

"Why?"

"She killed some of their turned."

"Fuck!" Kaga said softly but with emphasis. "Who is this girl anyway?"

"Someone we know fits into NERV's more nefarious plans. She's also the reason I need to set up a face-to-face with Lord Helsing."

"Obviously not my department," Kaga replied. "If you want, I can get the message to him."

"No need, I have a secure phone."

"Ok then. So what do you need me to do now?"

Maya thought about it. "How are your research skills?"

Kaga chuckled. "I can find anything you need. Just name it."

"Dig up everything we have on Steel Jaw and the Shadow Counsel, and then see what you can pull up on the Instrumentality Committee."

Kaga frowned on that. "You think their might be a connection?"

"Almost certain of it," she affirmed. "There was a whisper of some secret society that is connected to the Instrumentality Committee… something called SEELE."

"Sounds ominous," Kaga noted. "Give me twenty-four hours."

"You got it," she said. "I knew I could count on you."

He smiled. "Always ready to serve," he replied.

**

* * *

NERV**

With hands folded, Gendo sat in silence. The situation was not too his liking in the least. Section-2 reported sightings of individuals not registered to Tokyo-3 and they were suspected of packing heavy heat. Factor in Section-2's apparent breach, and Gendo could only conclude that whatever was going down, it was something big. He wasn't certain what it was but it could be anything from a mob hit to an attempted takeover of NERV by an outside agency. Neither prospect was something he was ready to deal with.

One thing did bother him more though. If this was an attempted hostile takeover of NERV, why start with Section-2? Certainly they would have an easier time pushing though other Government agencies for a forced shutdown… even get the JSSDF involved. But Gendo realized that if this indeed was a hostile takeover, that wouldn't be their best move… not while the Angels were still a threat. Instead a quite internal takeover would be needed, one that would leave the facilities intact and key personnel still active to deal with the Angel threat. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed likely they would use Section-2 for this purpose.

If that were so… why haven't they made their move yet? Certainly, they realize they've been discovered. That being the case, perhaps a takeover is not on their agenda. Perhaps it is something more specific… an individual perhaps?

"Rei," he whispered to the empty room. It was her apartment that was destroyed, and still no information as to how it happened. DNA evidence showed that there were at least 4 individuals other than Rei in that apartment before it burned down. Of the four, only two were identifiable as Section-2 Personnel. One was unidentified, and the last was still being crunched by the MAGI. He doubted an ID would come up on that one either. The DNA collected was from the ashes of the building.

Only one problem… The room next to Rei's room was mostly intact yet there were piles of ash and bone in the room… two to be specific, and these ashes were from two other Section-2 agents. Bodies are difficult to burn and their should have been more scorching in the room if they died there. Unless they were burned elsewhere and their ashes deposited in the room prior to the fire, this couldn't be explained easily… unless you knew what Gendo knew.

Rei bothered him the minute she entered his room, but he couldn't put a finger on why she did. And Gendo knew that there are only two ways a person could be reduced to ash; be burned in a superhot cremation oven, or be killed as a vampire.

As he pondered over this, the door to his office opened and Ritsuko entered the room.

"You have the results of Rei's Physical," he said. It wasn't a question.

"Right here," she replied, placing a folder on the desk.

Gendo immediately opened it and began examining everything. He made no sound and his expressions did not change as he read over the information. When he was finished he closed the folder and returned his hands to their normal, comfortable position.

"Are you certain?" he asked.

"Absolutely," she replied. "I verified it with my own eyes. She's perfectly fine. The only thing that brought any concern was the fluctuation in her Alpha and Beta graphs. It may be the cause of her sudden synchronization increase."

"Have you confirmed this with the MAGI?"

"I have. The MAGI agreed that there was at least a 77 percent probability that the shift in her Alpha and Beta waves caused the spike in her Sync scores. Honestly though, she hasn't changed at all that I can see. She's as deadpan as ever."

"Very well… I want you to conduct another back up of the Dummy Plug tonight. There is a potential risk to Rei from the outside."

Ritsuko was expecting that. "Very well, I'll get started at once." And with that she left. A moment later Fuyutsuki entered the room with a folder.

"We may have a problem, but it may only be a red herring," he stated as he placed the folder on his desk.

"What are you going on about old man?" came his sour reply. He really didn't want anymore distractions today. He opened the folder and saw photos of one of his bridge crew speaking with a businessman.

"It seems Lientennant Ibuki is having liaisons outside of NERV. We never noticed anything like this from her before. It seems too coincidental that the breach of Section-2, the report of possible mercenaries in the city and this would all happen within 24 hours."

"Indeed," he replied. He looked though the folder and seemed confused. "Where is the transcript of their conversation?"

"There isn't one. That restaurant on Takaga Street is infamous for being impossible to listen in on conversations. The engineers are still working on a way to get around it, but the sheer amount of cellphone activity and its placement make it a veritable dead zone… even for a parabolic microphone."

Gendo frowned. "I thought the problem was fixed," he said sourly.

"We thought it was. Apparently the engineering team has more work to do."

But Gendo didn't buy that at all. One of the individuals at that café must have had some form of White Noise Generator on their person, perhaps even Maya herself. He really couldn't see the normally squeamish bridge bunny involved in some external take over plot though, she was far too mousey for that… or perhaps that was what his enemies would want him to think.

"This is inconclusive," Gendo replied. But he didn't say it in a "I don't believe you" kind of way. He said it in more of a "We need more evidence" kind of way.

"We are doing our best," Kōzo replied. "Though this is probably irrelevant, I can't see her as a traitor, she doesn't have the scruples for it."

"Which is precisely why they would have chosen her…"

**

* * *

Elsewhere**

Shinji stood in one of the NERV hallways, waiting for his father to call for him. He knew it was only a matter of time now. While NERV personnel occasionally gave him odd looks, he paid them no heed. Father was the only one who concerned him now.

And honestly, he wasn't too overtly concerned. His powers had only increased since he first began working with magic and he found he had quite the skill with Shadow Magic just as his mother did. He never bothered to question it, just accepted it, flowed with it… and as a result, all but mastered it. If Gendo tried to do something foolish, Shinji would simply call forth some mind sphere magic to alter his perceptions and turn the situation in his favor. Gendo wouldn't even realize it was happening.

Not long ago, the thought that he could do something so drastic with hardly a thought scared him… now it didn't. Was his mindset changing? Could the darkness he controlled somehow be controlling him? He didn't even give such thoughts considerations. It only seemed natural to him that he had that kind of power at his fingertips.

Sure enough, within a few moments he was called to his father's office. It was time to see just what father had to say…

Minutes later he walked into the dark lair of The Commander. The Sephirothic system displayed on the ceiling would be alien to anyone who saw it, but as occult knowledge was part of his training, Shinji understood it all too well. As he stepped towards the desk, Shinji wondered why his father would have something like that displayed in his office.

"Pilot Ikari, report."

Shinji smiled slightly. "Well hello to you too, father," He said almost sarcastically. "I'm in one piece thank you very much."

"What were you doing last night pilot," he said without emotion.

"I'm sure Rei already told you. We were out for some unwind time and got a little carried away. So we crashed at Maya Ibuki's house."

"You will refer to her as Lieutenant Ibuki."

"No, she's Maya when off the clock and that is precisely the capacity we met her in. You really need to loosen up."

Gendo looked slightly annoyed at his son's attitude. He wasn't expecting this at all… Shinji should be afraid of him and at the same time, trying his damnedest to please him, not talk to him in a condescending tone like he was one of his friends.

"You would dare disrespect me pilot?"

"See, there's that word again… pilot. Did you just conveniently forget I was your son… oh right! I forgot… how stupid of me. I haven't been your son since you ABANDONED ME!" The sudden flare up of temper from Shinji actually took him aback. He never expected this level of rage from his son and on some level it was actually a bit disturbing.

"Calm down or I'll have you thrown in the brig!" He snapped as he slammed his hands down on the desk and stood up.

Shinji waved a hand as if dismissing him. "You will do no such thing."

Suddenly, Gendo's posture relaxed and he dropped back into his chair. He felt Shinji's will push into his mind and he tried to block it out.

"Wha… What are you doing?" he called out as he grabbed his head.

"So… you are stronger of mind that most," he said, ignoring the question. "I was almost hoping for this. The more you struggle, the more this will hurt." Shinji's aura glowed dark for a moment as he redoubled his efforts. "You will not call for back up."

"I…" Gendo struggled against his son's power but couldn't resist him. "I… I will not call for back up." Commander Ikari ultimately lost the war for control of his own mind. Shinji's eyes turned dark and he smiled almost sadistically.

"You no longer need to investigate the children."

"I no longer need to investigate the children…" Gendo repeated everything he said as if in a trance.

"Everything… is alright," Shinji suggested.

"Everything… everything… is alright."

Shinji realized he had a perfect opportunity here, but now was not the time. It was only a matter of moments perhaps before Kōzo returned, already he can sense the old man approaching, and he didn't have to knock in order to enter.

"Rei is safe in my hands, I will protect her."

"Rei is safe in your hands… you will protect her…" his voice trailed as Shinji retracted his influence.

Fuyutsuki entered the room and walked next to the desk. Gendo was already back in his normal relaxed posture… the infamous 'Gendo Pose'.

"Am I late?" he asked.

"Not at all," Gendo replied. "I won't need to keep the children underground as I originally thought."

Kōzo looked surprised at that. "Oh? I thought the risk was too great."

"My son has become… quite the warrior. I'll be releasing Rei into his capable hands."

Kōzo leaned closer to Gendo. "Are you sure this is wise?"

"Trust me Sensei, I know what I'm doing." His tone was one of finality. "Do you believe you can handle this Pilot Ikari?"

"Absolutely, father. I'll make sure nothing happens to her."

"Good, then the matter is settled. Dismissed."

Shinji bowed and left the room, happy with himself.

Once he was gone Kōzo was free to speak his mind. "Ikari… this is unlike you."

"I have my reasons Sensei," he replied. "My son has proven himself to be an asset to NERV and the scenario. A little praise and more responsibility will only make his role in this so much easier. You don't approve?"

"It doesn't matter what I think," he replied. "If you're certain, I trust your judgment. You haven't been wrong yet."

"I had a good teacher," he replied. Kōzo was uncertain as to whether that was a compliment or not.

**

* * *

NERV Geofront, Temporary Housing**

With a grunt of barely contained anger, another piece of furniture was thrown across the room. Ryoji Kaji stood against he wall with his arms crossed waiting for his current temporary roommate to calm down.

"Feeling any better yet?"

"NO!" Asuka yelled. "That baka doesn't even see what's happening to himself. Always playing the martyr… Oh Shinji is so wonderful! He can do anything he wants. Hell he'll even let the woman he loves fuck another girl just because he's too much of a pussy to drop the dead weight!" She kicked another chair across the room. Though it didn't break, it damaged the wall. Kaji didn't care, he barely stayed here as it was… not to mention he could fix the damage himself.

"Tell me again about Rei," he asked calmly.

"That fucking vampire," she growled, letting some of her more animalistic characteristics come to the surface. "I'd kill her if I thought I could get away with it!"

"Just because she's a bitch doesn't mean she deserves to be called names like that," he replied.

"Not in a figurative sense Kaji, she's a fucking nightcrawler… damned parasite! And she's got complete control over the baka to the point that he doesn't even see what she's doing to him anymore!"

Kaji's mouth tipped in surprise. "Are you serious? Rei Ayanami is really a vampire?"

"Yes, she's a vampire… a fucking Kindred bitch-whore who deserved to have her throat ripped out!"

"Who did she cheat on Shinji with?"

"That lesbo bridge bunny Ibuki! Stupid girls deserve each other as far as I'm concerned."

_Well isn't this interesting… Rei gets turned to the darkside… literally, and Ibuki is cavorting with vamps. There may be some truth to her having liaisons with individuals outside of NERV after all. I wonder how Rei's managed to keep her nature hidden from the commander for so long… unless Rits is in on it too._

That was quite the revelation. NERV is slowly but surely turning against the Commander. If both a bridge tactical officer and the head of Project E were working with Rei that means there may be some other force at work here that's trying to prevent everyone from initiating Third Impact. That was actually good for him, despite his status as a Triple Agent.

"Ever think that you're barking up the wrong tree on this one Asuka-chan?"

Using a term of endearment made her stop, and back out of the transformation. Kaji was always the person who knew what was best so if even he had something to say that was counter to what she thought, she knew maybe she was being a bit judgmental.

"You're not going to give the excuse about vampires being passionate are you?"

"Actually, I was going to say something to that effect yes. Female vamps especially are prone to Nymphomania, and they usually have few inhibitions against same sex relationships if it keeps their sexual appetites sated."

"Verdammnit," she whispered and dropped to the floor in a sitting position.

Kaji said a few words in a mystic language and the damage done to the room repaired itself around Asuka.

"Now if you're quite done destroying my apartment, why don't we start at the beginning… it seems there is a lot you haven't been telling me young lady." He sat next to her prompting her to lean against him.

"I know… things have been so crazy lately Kaji-sama," she said sweetly.

**

* * *

Darkness**

"This internal security crisis needs to be taken care of quickly Ikari," SEELE-01 (on Audio Only) said with conviction. "We can ill afford wasted resources and time. The scenario must stay on schedule. We can tolerate no delays."

"Fear not Chairman," Gendo replied. "In less than two days this mess will be easily sorted out and the perpetrators liquidated. I too have little tolerance for delays and we will stay on schedule."

"What guarantee do we have that this will be handled swiftly?" SEELE-06 asked.

"I have my best men on this and we are now very close to determining the perpetrators of this incident."

"You'd best deal with this quickly Ikari," replied SEELE-09. "No more delays will be tolerated… anymore and you won't like the result… I guarantee." SEELE-09's Monolith disappeared.

"We are done here then," SEELE-01 agreed. All other Monoliths disappeared leaving just Gendo and 01 in the darkness.

"Something more Chairman?" Gendo asked.

"You know how the game is played Ikari," he replied. "I'm sure we don't have to explain where to look for the perpetrators. I myself am all too familiar with potential attacks from the inside."

"Indeed," Gendo acknowledged. "I meant what I said chairman… the perpetrators will be found and dealt with. However I can't help but wonder if someone within the committee wasn't behind it."

"What makes you say that?"

"It's too perfect," he explained. "Someone would only go though this much trouble to take NERV intact though Section-2 if they needed it that way to deal with future angel attacks. Not to mention of all times for this to happen, it is in the lull between angels… only someone with knowledge of the angels appearance according to the Dead Sea Scrolls would know when such a time to attack was… that means one thing."

"It must be someone in the SEELE Consul… excellent deduction. At the same time, we have to assume that a 'staged' take over is also possible which could potentially implicate you. You have seen the scrolls as well Ikari."

"Indeed, I am not immune to scrutiny any more than any other consul member, but I have the least to gain by staging a takeover."

"And what do you think any of us on the consul have to gain by it?"

"More control over the scenario… perhaps even enough to pull the plug on it."

There was silence from 01, and Gendo knew he had struck something Keel didn't think about. What if someone in SEELE was backing out of this and wanted to end the scenario for reasons unknown? Perhaps their conscience was getting to them….

"I'll investigate the others and see what I can come up with," SEELE-01 responded.

"Thank you for your time Chairman."

**

* * *

NERV, Western Side**

Rei leaned against the edge of the window looking out over the Geofront. In the distance she could see a few buildings hanging upside down on the roof, and if she focused her eyes just right, she could see the distant watermelon garden owned by Kaji.

"Hello my angel," came Shinji's voice.

"She turned to him and smiled, watching as he made his way down the hallway. He briskly walked up to her and pulled her into a kiss. Though Rei was taken off guard by the surprise display of affection, she wasted no time joining in. He always knew how to make her heart flutter without her commanding it to.

After the kiss they held each other. Though Shinji was in a good mood, there was a hidden worry in his face that betrayed him. Rei looked concerned.

"What is it?"

"Rei… I need to ask you something about your creation," he asked.

"Ask. You know I won't hold anything from you."

"I saw the Sephirotic System in father's office. Why were you created?"

Rei's face took a serious and worried look, she looked around but heard Shinji activate a white noise generator. No one was around.

"Have you ever heard of SEELE?"

"No," he replied.

Rei nodded. "I didn't think you had. Few know of their existence. They are the hidden benefactors of NERV, where most of the money comes from, but that is because they are trying to do something terrible."

"They're trying to initiate Third Impact aren't they?" he replied.

Rei nodded. She wasn't surprised that he figured it out on his own, knowing far more about the occult than most children his age should. "You remember when I said I was half-angel and half-human?"

"Yes," he replied.

"The angel I was cloned from was Lilith."

"Lilith? Adam's wife?"

"Exactly. SEELE is going to use mass production EVA's along with 01 to initiate Third Impact on their terms. That is the truth behind instrumentality."

It struck Shinji as insane. They were trying to start what the angels themselves were trying to do. But to what end, would they try to control it? Turn Third Impact in their favor?

_Possible but difficult… so what was Rei's stake in this, why would father create her. Was he planning on hijacking Third Impact for… some…wait…_

Shinji looked into Rei's eyes and she could see his wheels were turning. He was figuring it out on his own.

"Father is trying to hijack Third Impact for himself… to bring mom back…"

"How did you come to this conclusion?"

"Adam and Lilith are the only Angels that can do it… so by creating a proxy that was half Lilith and half mom… he could call her spirit back in the process of Third Impact… sacrifice the entire human race for one soul… barbaric!"

"He's obsessed with getting Yui back," Rei clarified. "He's beyond reason."

Shinji shook his head. "We've got to stop him… but how to do it without causing NERV to collapse in on itself?"

Rei grimaced. "I'd hate to say it, but if Gendo is killed now, SEELE will step in and take control. They'd be better equipped to deal with people like us."

"I know," he replied. "And we still have to worry about the Shadow Consul and the Steel Jaws and their merc allies Steel Dawn… not to mention The Angels themselves."

"Asuka," Rei whispered. "I have to contact my former sire. Kenjiro would know what we could do, or at least give us some options."

"Well, I secured it so that we can return to the surface at any time. My father, being a manipulator himself was difficult to convince but I at last did."

"What if it's only temporary?"

"Then our lives will get very interesting later…"

**

* * *

That Evening**

Maya sat down at her table in a silk robe drinking tea with her laptop opened in front of her. Research notes were opened on several windows… her friend Kaga came though faster than she had anticipated.

What she read disturbed her greatly. It seemed that SEELE was definitely behind NERV's financing and may be at least on some level connected to the Shadow Consul. She couldn't believe that was possible, a vampire was on the Instrumentality Committee.

"What is the consul up to?" she wondered aloud. When she read what SEELE's actual goals were she nearly spit tea onto her computer. "WHAT? Are they insane?"

She didn't know how Kaga managed to come up with this information but after tracing his source locations she realized that what he was suggesting was something he himself determined based on the facts. SEELE was known to have possession of the Dead Sea Scrolls. According to religious texts, it was part prophecy and part timetable. It outlined the events that would happen after Second Impact in chronological order including when the angels would appear.

The information contained within was also mentioned to be connected with something called the Red Earth Ceremony. Kaga was able to determine that the Red Earth Ceremony was a process by which humanity would evolve into a new god… the problem was it involved the death of every human on the planet, merging their souls into the new god.

Based on this, Maya came to the same conclusion. Though there was nothing here that expressly stated that SEELE was trying to enact Third Impact themselves, there was little else that could be done with the material other than that.

"I don't believe it… I have to warn Helsing."

"You won't be doing that," came a voice. She turned in time to see a man in black take aim with a weapon. Maya's quick reflexes allowed her to flip out of her chair as it went off. The bullet missed her by mere centimeters. He tried to take aim again only to have a throwing blade knock the weapon from his hand. Instantly, he drew an awl. As Maya closed within melee range and swung only to have the attack blocked. Maya planted a strong upper cut into his jaw nearly breaking it and sending him off his feet.

She quickly dodged again as another gun went off behind her. Again she was missed only barely. Another knife flew from her hand and hit the man in the arm forcing him to drop his gun. He growled menacingly and ripped it out as his form shifted into something more sinister.

Maya watched as the second assailant grew to larger proportions, sprouted fangs, an elongated muzzle and razor sharp claws. He lunged as soon as the transformation was completed. The moment his feet left the ground Maya took a shallow dive sideways and spun rolling under his lunge and out the other side. With a quick spring, she was on her feet heading for her room. On the way she was assailed by another man, but she dodged his punch and broke his arm. His cry of pain betraying the fact that he was human, Maya threw him over her shoulder and kept running as the Lycan was gaining on her.

In her room she slammed the door, though this would only stop him for a moment, she grabbed her silver edge Wakazashi as the door was ripped off its hinges and spun to face her attacker. The lycan sprang the moment he was though the door and Maya leapt over and onto his back. In the same motion she drove the blade though the back of his head and though his bottom jaw. It cried out in pain and thrashed around, ejecting her onto her own bed as it tried to get the blade out. But within seconds the monster fell dead.

Sensing no more enemies afoot she ripped the blade out of the slowly reverting Lycan and found the third assailant writhing in pain on the floor in her hallway. She grabbed him by the front of his outfit and dragged him into the kitchen. She threw him against the counter and pulled out a carving knife. Before he could react his shoulder was punctured with the knife and the tip sank deep into her countertop. He screamed in pain as he was effectively pinned down.

"Now that I have your attention," Maya said sounding furious, "I have questions for you."

"Fuck you bitch," he grunted out. Maya pinned his other shoulder in response causing him to cry out again. The puncture points shut down the nerves along his arms so he couldn't move them.

"You attack me in MY house and then you lack even the simple courtesy of answering a question? Tisk tisk, where are your manners?"

"Fuck… you…" he said between breaths. Maya responded by pulling out a metal shish kabob spike and driving it straight though the sciatic nerve on his left inner thigh. The scream he let loose was louder than anything Maya had ever heard before. Inwardly she wanted to stop this, but she knew she couldn't. Months ago, she couldn't hurt a fly, but too many lives were on the line for her to be squeamish now. With resolve she pulled another one and held it near the sciatic nerve on his other thigh.

"Ok! Ok! Fuck! I'll talk!"

"Better," she replied. "Who sent you?"

"Consul Seat Member Korgan."

"And why does he want me dead," she asked.

"He said you were just as much a busy body as your grandfather..."

"Grandpa…" Maya whispered. "Korgan had him killed didn't he?"

"Yeah," the man admitted. "That's what they tell me at least."

"Why was there a Lycan with you?"

"Korgan uses the Silver Claw Clan as slave workers. They're all bound to him and will do whatever it takes to get his dirty work done. Not to mention they hate the Steel Jaw Tribe."

"So Korgan isn't happy with just wiping out the Steel Jaws, he has to turn other Wolf Clans and Tribes against them too… Where's Korgan."

The man hesitated. "I don't know."

Maya didn't like that answer and stabbed the man in his other sciatic nerve. He screamed loud and almost passed out from the pain. Maya reached over to her sink and pulled her dish spray head, turned the water on cold and spayed him awake, going so far as to nearly shove the nozzle up his nose to force his gag reflex to make him conscious.

"Hey, wake up, I'm not done with you yet," she complained.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck me! Goddamnit your crazy ass bitch!"

"Flattery will get you killed, now answer the damn question! Where is Korgan!"

"Barcelona…"

"Spain?"

He nodded. "He's looking for they one they call the Reina De Diamantes."

The name meant nothing to Maya but she figured that Helsing knew more. He always seemed to know.

"Well I guess we have nothing more to discuss."

"You… you're gonna let me go right?"

"In a manner of speaking," Maya said as she pulled another knife out and ran the man though the throat with it. He gurgled for a few seconds before the last wet breath escaped him. Maya grabbed her phone and dialed a number.

"Yeah," came a voice.

"Code 2," Maya said immediately.

"On our way," the reply came and hung up.

She looked around at the condition of her home and frowned.

"I need a new home…."

**

* * *

End of Chapter 11**

_

* * *

Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est, _

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est

* * *

_**A/N: **There, that wasn't so bad, got some more of the story out of the way. Next chapter should be a bit more action oriented.

* * *

**Review Responces**

**gunman: **All good points. Korgan is a fool but he's at least smart enough to keep his head on his shoulders. He saw the death of his childe as a personal attack more than anything, the bullshit of him being pissed off about having to start over with a new heir was just a way for him to justify his actions. And even vampires that are meant to take important positions have to have their fun time. Hell, half the vamps Rei killed at the gallows end were the heir's bodyguards. Much like Star Trek Federation Security Teams, they were full of fail.

**NefCanuk:** Asuka is still in a phase of her life where Kaji is the ideal man. Once she starts looking for fresher meat (ie Shinji), there will definitely be blood in the proverbial water.

**Greenfang:** I like Maya! I've always like Maya, but so few stories use her as anything more than either window-dressing or as a fuck-toy for another character (normally Doctor Akagi). I didn't want that in this one. I wanted to show what potential her character actually had. This chapter showed a darker side, but its not that she's changed so much, its that she's learned to shut down her normally dainty persona and do what has to be done. She understands how much is riding on her.

**All Readers:** Thanks again for reading my stories and I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter.


	12. One Down

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Bloodlust  
**

**XII: One Down…**

* * *

Korgan was a man who knew what he wanted and knew how to get it. This was an entirely different situation however, and his vast powers and abilities in the arena of acquisition failed him. He wanted revenge badly on the girl who killed his childe, but now that didn't seem possible. As the Shadow Consul sat down to discuss the next phase of their plan, Korgan was isolated in it all as the "odd man out".

The head of the Shadow Council was an old vampire by the name of Yasrin Kharn. Though Romanian by birth, he was so old and so experienced in the world that trying to pin down where he came from if you didn't already know was a lost cause. He tried very hard to stay in line with the younger vampires in terms of fashion and looks that if you didn't know better you'd think he wasn't over 500 years old.

"The plan is progressing as expected," Yasrin announced to the other 11 members of the Shadow Consul. "However, we are expecting delays now due to the continue escalation of hostilities from the Steel Jaw's pawn, Steel Dawn. They continue to hunt for the Destroyer of the Line of Fenris and their presence in Tokyo-3 is a continued annoyance. We may need to take more direct actions against them."

Korgan shifted a bit in his seat. He had known about the Steel Dawn's entrance into the city, and it was his responsibility to keep the situation from escalating. However, the fact that the destroyer was in Tokyo-3 was unknown to him. Though he doubted Yasrin would pin the blame on him, it made him uncomfortable. Surely there was some way he could have seen this coming. One of the other council members pointed it out, likely intending to put Korgan on the spot.

"Korgan should have known this would happen! He was in charge of ensuring the operation would succeed."

"Korgan is not at fault for that. There are… other matters in which Korgan is to be held accountable for, but this is not his fault."

_So, Yasrin knows I sent a Shadow Dancer to deal with Wraith's Childe. This could be bad…_

"In any case ladies and gentleman of the night, we will stick to the plan. Wraith's last report was promising. This meeting is over."

Korgan was the only one who stayed behind as the rest of the elder vampires disappeared into shadows.

"You really should keep that temper of yours in check Korgan," Yasrin stated.

"What would you have me do?" He replied. "30 years of work are now down the tubes because Wraith's bitch decided she was going to make the city vampire free."

"It doesn't matter," he replied without aggression in his voice. "Once the Black Earth Ceremony is completed, you will have ample opportunity to train a new childe. Then what happens to Wraith and his childe won't matter anymore. I don't blame you for seeking vengeance… but do not mess with the timetable. We will not have another chance at this and you know it."

"Yes Master Yasrin," Korgan replied.

With that, Yasrin faded into shadow along with the entire Council Hall, leaving Korgan in his office alone.

"I'll bide my time," he whispered to himself. _But when this is over, it is I who will have control over the Council… because it is I who will control the Black Earth Ceremony and bring humanity to its knees…_

Standing on a building overlooking the city of Tokyo-3, Maya was in full gear. Next to her stood Doctor Van Helsing himself crouched down and taking in the scent on the wind as if searching for something with his feral senses.

"I really wish we didn't have to meet again under these circumstances," Maya replied. "After almost biting the dust in my apartment though…"

"It's quite alright Lady Maya," he replied as he stood up. "I knew they were going to step up their efforts, but to go as far as to attack you in your home… drastic…."

"What do we know about this person Korgan is supposed to meet with?"

"Ah yes, Reina De Diamantes. Her name means 'Queen of Diamonds' in Spanish. She's an underworld dealer in weaponry and occult artifacts. He may be trying to secure something from her, but maybe it's just another arms deal."

"What I don't get is why The Shadow Council suddenly showed up here and is going through all this trouble. They got people inside of Section-2, nearly killed Rei, and now sent a group of thugs to kill me in my apartment."

"I wonder if The Shadow Council was really completely behind that."

Maya looked towards Helsing and adjusted her hat to block the wind. "What do you mean?"

"If one of the Council members is a member of SEELE, then it's possible SEELE knows what's been happening in the city. It's also possible that Kaga was traced by them and so they would have assigned this matter to the same man, who pulled in his reserves."

"So SEELE probably doesn't even know that they have a vampire amongst them?"

"A possibility… either that or they know and don't care. Based on what you told me, they are planning a global extinction just to 'save' the human race from stagnation. I bet the bastards think they're being noble."

Maya harrumphed at that. "My instincts tell me it's Korgan."

"Mine as well, but we lack proof except a few circumstantial pieces that are meaningless by themselves. Hopefully after we nab him, we'll have a better idea of what's really happening."

"What do we do now?"

Helsing turned towards the wind and held his hat in place. "Without an idea of where SEELE even is, we won't be able to do anything. We're having a hard enough time trying to pin down the Shadow Council. That's not even dealing with the Steel Dawn."

"Wonderful, so it's 'wait and see'."

Helsing cracked a half smile at that. "I know you're a woman of action Lady Maya, but sometimes the only thing we can do is wait. Besides, I have men ready to ambush Korgan in Barcelona."

Maya looked surprised at that. "Korgan is our only lead and possibly our best chance to get into the heart of SEELE itself, if we're right.. They're not going to kill him are they?"

"Their orders are to secure him, or dust him if they can't. He may be our only lead, but as soon as he realizes the Midnight Order is on to him, the amount of damage he can do if allowed to escape would be far worse than any potential information lost by his premature removal."

"Let's hope the men you sent are up to the task."

Helsing smirked at that. "If not, we'll know soon enough."

* * *

**Elsewhere**

* * *

There was at least one person in the city who wasn't about to wait and see. It had been two days since Shinji, Rei and Asuka left NERV back to the surface again. Rei had been staying with Shinji much to the chagrin of Asuka, but so far she had held her tongue. Kaji was at least partially right about a lot of things….

_Don't judge her so harshly Asuka-chan, it's her nature now… and a lot better than the old deadpan Ayanami, don't you agree?_

Asuka wasn't so sure about that though. She realized she was starting to feel something for the so-called baka for a bit now and it irked her to no end that. She knew she had been feeling this way for a bit now, before he grew a spine. Now that he had one though, she was worried.

_He's overtly aggressive, overconfident… maybe even a bit reckless…_

But he knew what he was doing. At least Asuka tried to convince herself of that. For Shinji's part, he was driven to end what was happening in what he considered to be "his" city. He defended it against angels, and the people who helped him do that had his back now. And so he felt justified for what actions he was planning on taking.

Shinji Ikari had been wandering the streets the previous night and came across a man who apparently saw something he shouldn't have. He questioned the man about what he saw and was able to deduce that it was a heavy mercenary group consisting of at least two dozen individuals. To Shinji, that meant that it was likely Steel Dawn. After scoping the area out, he confirmed his suspicions. This stroke of luck was enough… tonight it would end.

"So let me get this straight," Asuka began, "you heard from a random stranger on the street that he saw what he thought was a military group and you decided it would be a great idea to look into it yourself?"

The three of them sat in a small huddle atop a roof in midtown Tokyo-3. It was the same building that Kenjiro talked to them on before all hell started breaking loose.

"Yeah," Shinji replied. "It's a heavy mercenary team alright... two dozen individuals; some Lycan, some Kindred and some Human. Definitely Germanic so they've got to be Steel Dawn.

"This is perfect," Asuka commented. "If we can deal them a serious enough blow, they'll pull out of Tokyo-3 and leave the Steel Jaw Tribe to deal with this mess alone.

"They'll probably send another mercenary unit in though," Rei pointed out.

"Maybe," Shinji replied. "But either way, we're going to send a very strong message to The Steel Jaw Tribe. We're not playing this game anymore. One way or another, tonight we hit them hard."

"They're not my tribe anymore," she growled. "If anything, they're nothing more than another enemy to be torn asunder."

"It'll be dangerous," Rei pointed out.

"Good," Asuka replied immediately. "The more dangerous, the more fun it is for me."

"If we work as a team we can win this," Shinji agreed. "But it's risky. We'll be outnumbered pretty badly, and these are forces that are supposed to be sent to deal with us directly. They'll be more capable than any enemies we've fought previously."

"It doesn't matter," Rei replied. "This must be done."

* * *

**Barcelona, Spain**

* * *

It's a rare instance that Korgan handles things himself, but this was something that was far too important to leave for an underling. Besides, he knew Reina de Diamantes well enough to not suspect any form of treachery from her. In his mind, he was completely safe.

He had entered the underground club known as Den Noche del Lobo (The Night Wolf's Den), a popular haunt for those of the supernatural persuasion, and the primary meeting place that the Queen of Diamonds uses for her business. With upbeat Spanish music playing over the speakers and a décor that didn't look trashy like the underground clubs in places like Japan and the US, it was obvious that Reina would not stand for low class anything.

Even in the bustle of the club he could make out where she was. As he approached her table, a small secluded round table far from the source of the music, he didn't notice that several of the individuals in the club were not of supernatural origin, and were watching him closely.

"Reina de Diamantes. ¿Que ha pasado mucho tiempo no es así?" [It's been a while hasn't it?]

She looked to him and smiled sweetly. For a human, she was always quite enchanting. Her black dress was designed to show a lot of her flawless skin, with the only mark on her being a series of angelic symbols on her visible right shoulder. As Korgan knew nothing of Santeria, he didn't really care about their meaning, just that they simply enhanced her mystique.

"Korgan," she replied. "¿Qué te trae a través de mi puerta?" [What brings you through my door?]

He sat before her at the table. The small table actually made it a bit more intimate than most would likely allow, but she always preferred to conduct business this way.

"Hay algo que necesito de ti ... algo muy raro," he explained. "Yo lo tengo de buena fuente que usted puede conseguir esta cosa para mí." [There is something I need from you... something very rare. I have it on good authority that you can get this thing for me.]

"Hmm… Debe ser muy importante para que usted pueda venir a mí para estas cosas. Usted sabe los precios que piden." [It must be quite important for you to come to me for such things. You know the prices I demand.]

"Sí, lo creo. Pero también sé que tú eres la única persona en el mundo entero que puede conseguirlo." [Yes I do. But I also know that you are the only person in the entire world that can get it.]

"¿Qué es lo que quieres?" [What is it you want?]

Korgan leaned in closer to her. "Quiero que El Crisol de las Almas." [I want The Crucible of Souls]

Her eyes widened at that. The artifact he wanted was said to be involved in many supposedly Earth-shattering ceremonies and rituals that have not be practiced in thousands of years.

"¿Con qué propósito?" she asked. [For what purpose?]

"Eso no es parte del trato ... ¿Se puede conseguir o no?" His voice was noticeably more aggressive. [That's not part of the deal… Can you get it or not?]

"No."

"¿No?"

"Lo siento, pero esto es algo que no puedo hacer. Lo que pides es imposible." [I'm sorry but this is a thing I can not do. What you ask is impossible.]

Behind Reina, he saw that several individuals in black were closer than they were before. Though he didn't think his enemies would come here, he's beginning to realize that he was expected.

"Perra traidora!" he yelled as he stood up and drew his pistol in the same motion. Before she could respond the trigger was pulled and the bullet went though her chest. She fell instantly. [Traitorous bitch!]

At once, the men in black made their move, drawing swords and steaks. A scream was issued from one of the vampires in the room as they recognized the tools of death and feared it was an extermination squad of some kind. Korgan ran into the next room with several men in black on his tail.

"You won't take me alive!" he yelled in English as he fired shots behind him. The men in black ducked the shots with super human speed, and instantly he knew who was after him.

"Oh fuck me… the Midnight Order," he whispered and continued to run. He headed downstairs as he knew the exits would be covered. The order was very thorough when it wanted someone. He didn't know how the order found out he was here or why they wanted him dead, but he wasn't about to stick around to find out either.

Escaping into the basement, he ran into another order member who shot at him with a crossbow. At this range it should have hit his heart but it didn't. Instead the shot punctured his shoulder causing a lot of pain but otherwise only slowing him a little. He plowed passed the order member knocking them aside, getting shot twice more in the back for his trouble, both times missing his heart.

_They want me alive._

Using the secret passage in the basement he entered the Spanish catacombs beneath the city, with several order members on his tail. He could only hope he was able to lose them in the catacombs. Before he lost signal completely, he dialed a number and typed out a few digits on his phone without slowing down.

Upstairs, one of the circle members, walked up to the Queen of Diamonds seeing she was still lying on the table.

"It's an interesting dichotomy," he commented as she began to sit back up again.

"What is?" she replied in perfect English. "That I pretend to be human when I'm anything but?"

"Being an immortal has its advantages. By the way, Abraham Van Helsing sends his regards."

"How is the old coot?" she said with a smile as she pulled the bullet out of her chest. With a few words in Santeria her wound started to close with a pale light.

"He misses you," he said.

She sighed. "I should go see him."

Two of the order members ran up. "We lost him in the catacombs."

"Damn," the circle member replied. "Send everyone we have down there, we're not giving up just yet."

"He was after the Crucible of Souls," Reina offered. "I don't know what he planned to do with it, but whatever he wanted it for, can't possibly be good."

"We'll take it from here," he replied and started towards the back.

"Jacob!" she called before he got too far causing him to turn towards her again. "Give this to Abraham when you see him." She handed him a small ring box.

"I will, but aren't you going to see him yourself?"

"Sí,, but I have loose ends that need tidying first."

* * *

**Three Hours Later, Tokyo-3**

* * *

The warehouse compound of Steel Dawn was quiet. Tonight the scouts would be out looking for their quarry, leaving the heavy hitters to wait for orders. There were two levels to the building, not including the catwalks in the main area that only had the single floor and a high ceiling. Soldiers walked the catwalks and a few patrolled the perimeter. It was standard military procedure for this type of set up. There were even look outs on neighboring buildings to make sure they weren't blindsided.

One of the soldiers looked over the edge for the twenty-seventh time this evening. Still not seeing anything of interest he stepped back from the edge. Suddenly a hand clasped over his mouth and a blade penetrated his chest, the slim blade sliding between his ribs to puncture the left ventricle of his heart. He died almost instantly. Once could almost see the redish glow of eyes behind the body as it was dragged back into the shadows.

On the opposite side, on top of another building another solider was just finishing his sweep when suddenly the back of his knee as kicked in. As he dropped to his knees, a pair of slim hands grasped his head and violently twisted it until he was almost looking behind him. He caught a glimpse of red hair before he expired.

Near her, the shadows shifted revealing Shinji stepping forward. His dark outfit served to hide him especially well on the dark rooftop.

"_Well you do know how to make an entrance," _Asuka thought at him. Shinji had connected the three of them together mentally before the operation began allowing them to communicate without being listened in on. Though Shinji did caution using it from long distances as an individual talented in mind sphere magic could potentially break though his protections.

"_Kind of a specialty of mine," _he replied. _"Rei is almost in position." _His eyes began to shift over to black. He saw markings appear glowing in a pale red light on the ground around the warehouse. _"Damn, they have alarm sigils in place."_

"_Bad news."_

"_They'll have to be disabled before I can enter. They're set up to detect a Shadow Mage."_

"_Oh is that all? I can taper the enchantment to allow you to enter."_

Shinji looked at her surprised. _"I didn't know you knew how to use magic."_

"_I beat the Grand Hierophant of our tribe in a competition. My mastery over Shamanistic Magic is matched only by my savagery in Lycan form. Of course what would you expect from the great Asuka?"_

Shinji smirked. _"Don't break your arm patting your own back just yet, get me inside."_

"_I'm still mad at you."_

"_I know. I just don't care. You know my stand. Are we going to be adults about this or what?"_

Asuka harrumphed and started climbing down the building head first, heading for a break in the patrols where she could get at the boundary of the spell. Speaking a few ancient words, she was able to see the sigils. Finding a weak point she began to conjure up a glow of icy energy around her hands. She placed them on the ground right before the edge of the spell's area and a sudden flare up of ice took hold over the sigil. A few seconds later, she successfully created a "hole" in the protective circle.

"_Good work, I'm on my way down."_

"_Hurry, I can't keep the hole in place for too long before the spell's creator notices something's amiss."_

Shinji shifted into a shadowy form and slipped though the hole in the protection. Asuka quickly scaled the wall and entered the building though a window onto the catwalk system.

Rei meanwhile entered the second floor of the office side of the warehouse. Most of the lights were off and her vampiric senses altered her to the infrared beams along the hallway. Easily avoiding tripping them, she continued moving, eventually finding a room with several men asleep in it. There was one man on watch but he was nodding off as well.

Rei took her opportunity and snuck up to the sleepy guard. Before he realized what happened his mouth was closed shut and his throat was slit. Blood poured down his chest soaking into his uniform as his body twitched. Eventually he stopped and Rei let him down easy before she systemically killed every sleeping guard in the room. She locked the door before killing the last one as she wanted to make sure she had plenty of energy for the coming melee.

The man woke up to Rei straddling him. At first he didn't resist, seeing a hot gothic girl in a hiked up short skirt and corset, but started struggling as soon as he realized it wasn't a dream and the chick had fangs. Rei was too strong for him though and before he got much of a sound out his throat was torn into and she was feeding. She drained him dry before she dismounted, and moved on to the next section where she hoped to find the other half of the day shifters.

In the catwalk system Asuka took out another member via neck-break and dragged him to corner of the catwalk system. She looked down at the group getting ready for combat. There were more than Shinji thought here for certain, and she knew they couldn't all be taken silently. This was good though, she wanted to tear flesh and feed on fresh meat tonight, and she's get her opportunity soon enough.

Shinji continued to move from shadow to shadow, trying to find the leader. If he could take him out, maybe the others would lose heart. Well it was worth a try at least, in his mind. As he moved into the office area on the first floor looking for the man in charge, he came across a room with several men speaking German inside. Shinji leaned in closer to listen in. Thankfully, his mother knew German, and now… so did he.

"Mein Herr, berichteten die Späher keine Anzeichen des Ziels." [Sir, the scouts reported no signs of the target].

"Sie und ihre Freunde haben Bastard zu sein, irgendwo da draußen. Verdoppeln Sie die Suche!" [She and her bastard friends have to be out there somewhere. Double the search!]

"_Gotcha."_

As he tried to slip into the room, a sudden shock hit him. He didn't notice this room had its own sigils. The three men instantly turned and raised their assault rifles.

"Fuck!" Shinji yelled before ducking around the corner. The sounds of rapid fire weaponry echoed over the warehouse causing the men there to stop what they were doing and grab arms to help.

Rei was in the middle of killing the last of the day shifters when the alarmed yells in German rang out. _"What happened?"_

"_My bad," _Shinji replied. _"I found the leader and got over zealous, gonna need backup down here, they don't know about you two yet."_

"_Perfect," _Asuka replied as her voice turned more guttural. _"Time to feed."_

The last group of six men were stopped from entering the office area by a massive red lycan dropping into their midst. A startled cry was the only warning anyone else had that the battle had been joined as Asuka began to tear into the German mercenaries with reckless abandon.

In the office area, Shinji had shifted though shadows around the corner and drew his UMP's. A black glow formed around his hands and the weapons as the men around the corner started to move up the hall cautiously. He kissed both barrels before spinning out of cover and opening fire from his inexhaustible weapons. The men he fired at hid behind what cover was available but they soon found that the cover was useless. The bullets were made of pure shadow-stuff and only a magical barrier would stop them Two of the men were perforated from behind right through cover as if the walls and overturned desks didn't exist. The leader however was able to throw up mystical protections to stop the bullets before opening fire on Shinji's position with his own imbued ammunition. Shinj however was too fast for that and shifted though shadows left and right to avoid the shots while firing back, trying to find a hole in his protections.

He quickly realized as he was almost hit twice that there were not holes in his defense and wisely escaped into shadow, moving like the wind into another room. When he emerged, he put his guns away and turned around only to find that there were at least 9 people with weapons leveled at him.

"Um… hi." He said. "This isn't the way to the bathroom is it?"

"Feuer frei!" one of them shouted, and then the remoseless weapons belched fire and lead. [Open fire!]

With the flick of his wrists, Shinji brough two katanas of pure shadow metal into existance. At that same moment, he quickly activated a time sphere spell to slow down aparent time allowing him to react to the wall of bullets coming towards him. He launched foward, swinging his weapons to deflect some bullets while quickly dodging around others before he reached the firing line. To the enemy it appears as if he simply sprouted blades and rush forward in a whirl of black steel before one of the men fell into three bloody pieces.

At this range they had no chance to escape. Shinji's whriling assault severed limbs, cut weapons in half and made a mockery of their firing line. In a matter of seconds the entire firing line was killed. When it was over Shinji stopped, breathing hard. A moment later he dropped his blades and keeled over, deposting the contents of his stomach onto the floor. The sudden shift though time was something his body wasn't able to handle well.

"That… sucked. Gotta keep moving. That asshole will be on me any time now."

Rei entered another room upstairs, this one however was anything but empty. There were twelve individuals in here all armed with swords and knives. They stood up as she entered.

_Shinji underestimated how many were in the building it seems._

They took offensive stances as Rei held up her dual blades. The glowing eyes of her assailants and the scent on them told her they were all vampires.

Suddenly one of them hissed and launched into melee. Rei quickly blocked his attack and took his head as the next two moved in to try to strike at her. As the first victim's body turned to ash, Rei cut another of the assailents into three pieces; head, legs and torso, before blocking another attacker and slicing him in half from crotch to crown in one go. She quickly turned again kicking another assailent away and flipped over another one trying to land a strike to her neck. As she was inverted over him, she took his head off and quickly spin to strike at the next two, blocking their attacks and cutting them in half from shoulder to opposite hip. As they fell, she threw her blade backwards catching two more in chest as she jumped back an unleashed a veritable swarm of kunai blades from her arm sheathes and her belts. The blades causing pain, damage and even taking a few heads off from sheer velocity. Rei then rushed back in and retrieved her blades by ripping them out sideways before spin into an attack like a psychotic ballerina. This final movement taking the last two heads.

She stopped holding one blade to her left in her right hand while the other was behind her in a reverse grip. The sounds of falling ash was the only thing to be heard. The second target killed finished turning into ash as the battle ended.

Rei knew she made that look easy, but the reality of it was even for someone as powerful as her, with her angelic gifts, advanced combat training and apparently potent bloodline, that was close. The blade marks on her body suddenly became visible as lines of red formed on her arms, stomach, back and just below her throat.

She put her blades away as she began to concentrate on healing when a voice over a speaker got her attention.

"I can see why the Shadow Dancer failed."

"Councilman Korgan I presume," she deadpanned.

"Bravo," the voice replied. "Smart and powerful… quite a combination… by now you must realize that I've been keeping tabs on you."

"Why are you working with the Steel Jaws?"

"I'm not. I had insiders within Steel Dawn, it was a perfect in. Though now that contact is being shattered before my eyes. I have to admit, you the mage and the bitch make quite a team. Perhaps we can work something out that would be more to all of our liking."

"I have no interest in working for you. You've been trying to kill me since the Gallows End, and you burned down my apartment. I have little to say to you."

"Your apartment? I wasn't even informed as to where you were living…."

Rei's heart skipped. "If you weren't behind that, who was?"

"You're going to find that there are many players in this game, and most of them don't like you. You might even find that you've been playing into the hands of one of them. Too bad it isn't my hands. I'm beginning to see why he chose you."

Rei's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"You'll know soon enough… I guarantee. In the meantime, I'd keep on my guard if I were you… after all, you should be expecting another angel any day now, and you wouldn't want to miss that for the world…." The speaker made a sound like someone hanging up a phone and Rei knew the conversation had ended.

_Should I believe him or is he just playing with me? He makes it sound like he knows my Sire…_

The leader entered the main area where he could see the men that were out here were now dead, most were also dismembered.

"Was für eine verdammte Schlamassel," he said. [What a goddamned mess.]

"Ich würde es wirklich ein Meisterwerk," came the voice of Asuka as she walked out from around the corner in human form. Her tube top was soaked in blood and the rest of her was pretty well splotched and splattered as well. She was licking the blood off of the back of one of her hands like a cat. [I'd call it a masterpiece actually]

"Asuka," he whispered as he saw her approach.

"Lars Fischer," she replied. "Ich frage mich, ob Rudolph Heidegger wollte dich oder einen anderen Sündenbock schicken, um seine schmutzige Arbeit zu tun."[I was wondering if Rudolph Heindigger was going to send you or another patsy to do his dirty work]

"Nein er hat mich gesandt, den Job zu beenden. Sie überraschte mich heute Abend. Ich bin ein bisschen überrascht.." [No he sent me to finish the job. You caught me off guard tonight. I'm a bit surprised.]

"Warum sollte er Ihnen?" [Why would he send you?]

"Warum nicht, fingerte er Sie als den Zerstörer." [Why not, he fingered you as The Destroyer]

Asuka's eyes widened in shock. She knew Rudolph Heidegger was the current owner of the Line of Fenris, but he was one of her closest friends while she was in Germany. Why would he turn on her? She thought he was only acting for self preservation, but now… he's using the Destroyer Prophecies as an excuse to kill her.

Lars started to shift in his full Lycan form though, so the time to wonder about this was past. Asuka quickly changed as well, and as soon as both roared their challenge, they rushed at each other at full speed.

Lars was stronger than her but Asuka was faster. She quickly ducked under the claw swipes aimed at her had to rake his stomach and back. His teeth bit into her flesh but she ripped herself out of that before he dug too deeply and dug her claw into his shoulder. With a quick swing, she ended up on his back, trying to bite into his neck like a vampire.

Not having any of this Lars threw himself back first into a parked truck and then a wall, knocking her loose. Before she could recover he jumped on her trying to bite her face. Her claws came up and held his face back as the jaws snapped visciously. His claws dug into the flesh of her sides as he pushed back against her inferior strength.

For a second her mind flashed back to her battle with Israfel. As the blue half of the simian angel held her down and tore into the armor of her shoulder. It was a failure she'd never live down, because Rei had saved her life… She could almost smell the vampire coming to rescue her.

_No… I won't be saved again by that adulterous bitch…I won't!_

Suddenly Lars found his strength insufficient as her feet got under him and clawed his stomach before kicking him off. He flew back nearly fifty feet before landing on the hard floor. As he tried to scramble up, Asuka rammed into him with all her might. If anyone here had seen the battle between EVA 01 and the Third Angel that maneuver would have looked familiar. Lars was slammed into another truck but the force was enough to push the vehicle into the wall. He felt his spine crack under the pressure and howled in pain.

Asuka wasted no time locking his head under an arm and dragging him off the wall. Lars fought back trying to pry himself free as the pressure on his neck got worse. With a savage howl, Asuka jolted back and Lars's neck snapped.

Asuka dropped the body as Shinji slipped out of the shadows, realizing he was no longer being pursued, but he had to turn away as Asuka bared her teeth and started eating Lars as soon as his dead body shifted back into human form.

"God, that's just nasty," he said to himself. Despite not being able to see it, he heard the sounds. A sound akin to damp cloth being torn as she ripped his body open… wet chomping sounds as she chewed on his muscles, and loud snaps reminiscent of tree limbs being broken by the wind every time her teeth snapped a bone in half. He wanted to vomit again, but there wasn't anything left in his stomach.

Within minutes Lars was consumed, and Asuka howled her triumph.

* * *

**Later**

* * *

As Section-2 investigated the warehouse, the three teens sat upon a distant rooftop where they could see the lights still. Asuka was still bloodstained but now calmer, though now she was also brooding.

Shinji flipped a coin made of pure shadows as Rei crouched on the edge of the roof looking out over the spectacle.

"So, what do you think it means?"

Asuka made a ponderous sound before she spoke. "It sounds to me like Rei's Sire and Korgan are connected somehow."

"That can't be," Rei whispered. "Kenjiro isn't involved in the council, he's trying to get in, but he hasn't been able to yet."

"So he told you," Asuka pointed out.

"I believe him," she deadpanned.

"Maybe," Shinji began, "but what if that trust is misplaced? Being trained as a Shadow Mage gives me some insight into the machinations of such organizations because we're trained to see the shadows behind the truth. In this case, I think the Shadows themselves may have shadows of their own."

"It's a regular clusterfuck of treachery and deceit. But why?"

"To keep us in the dark," he replied with confidence. "To keep everyone in the dark, even those who are part of the game. I don't like the idea that my strings are being pulled. For all we know, we just played into Korgan's hands this time."

"Either way, I'm glad it's over," Asuka countered. "With this defeat, Steel Dawn won't try again, leaving my tribe to deal with this matter however they can."

Shinji picked up a wavering in her voice. "What is it?"

"Like you care," she countered.

"I do," Shinji replied. "Look, we both said some things in Maya's apartment we both regret. I know your take on it." Rei flinched knowing the part she played in that. "But I really don't care. I just wish you'd let me handle it. But it doesn't make me hate you."

"That's surprising," she said. Then she sighed. "I guess I may have overreacted a bit."

"So tell me what's troubling you."

"I'm not the destroyer," she replied.

"That's good news right?"

"No!" she cut as she stood up. "Because my best friend who is part of the line of Fenris was the one who fingered me as The Destroyer! He betrayed me!"

Rei stood up upon hearing that. "But… why?" she asked.

"I don't know…" she said in a low voice. "I don't know anything anymore." A tear slipped from her eyes as she covered her face. "Why is everyone turning on me?"

"Asuka," Shinji whispered as he approached her. At first she stiffened at his touch, but she had already let her mask of strength slip, the damage was done. And so, uncaring for her image at this point she clung hard to him for comfort. He may never be his, but at least he did care for her.

"We're not turning on you," Rei said resolutely. "We have our disagreements but we don't hate you."

"Don't say that if you don't mean it," Asuka growled softly from Shinji's arms.

"I do mean it," she replied. "Kenjiro may not be on everyone's trust list but he said something on that rooftop recently that made sense. I don't care about the old blood feuds. They're meaningless now. You are my friend Asuka, my comrade in arms. If we're going to get though this, we need to stick together and stop second guessing ourselves."

"Mein Gott, we're just a Mage, Werewolf and a Vampire against what feels like both heaven and Earth at this point! What chance do we even have?"

"As long as we stay together," Shinji replied, "we're unstoppable."

"Do you really believe that, baka?"

"Absolutely."

She pushed off of him. "Then so do I. If there is anyone in this world I can trust, it's you… well and Kaji but that's a given." A smile started to fill her face again as Shinji rolled his eyes at the mention of her guardian.

Rei chuckled at the display… it was a laugh she desperately needed right now….

* * *

**End of Chapter 12**

* * *

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est, _

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_

* * *

**A/N:** Has it really been over a year since I updated this?

**Gunman: **To be honest, Misato is a minor player in this story right now. As we get into what's happening with Section-2 we'll get to see her side of things a bit more.

Shinji is a lot smarter than people give him credit for. Being as how he now has all of his mother's knowledge, he's got a bit of a head start in figuring out what's really going on. The deduction about the Sephirotic system and the relationship between it and what Gendo is planning became obvious because of that knowledge. Not many people in this world have access to that kind of information. He's still missing some big pieces though.

The rest of what you said is all true to an extent. Ritusko does lack a bit in social interaction… but let's face it. She's director of Project E, the primary doctor to most of NERV and one of the main technicians working on the MAGI. Where the hell does someone with that much on their plate find the time to be social at all?

**Raw666:** Done… next.

**Tangential:** Yeah, I miss that often enough… eventually I'll go back and clean things up, but I want to push forward.

**YoungBoch:** I actually mentioned that White Wolf's World of Darkness was the primary inspiration for this story in the Authors Notes on one of the previous chapters. While I don't consider it to be a true crossover, you can see a lot of influences in the details (the aspects of the different spheres of magic are directly from Mage: The Ascension.) Bloodlines was based off of the tabletop RPG after all so go figure. A few of the aspects of Werewolf the Apocolypse are in here as well. Hmm… maybe I should update the Disclaimer to include White Wolf after all… but I could have sworn I did that already….

**NefCanuk:** His temper will eventually get him into trouble. I'll let you experience that when it happens.

**Cyber-Undead:** Obviously Shinji doesn't completely trust him anymore either.

**Voloseraptor:** Any relation to Philosoraptor? j/k. As to your comment… this a crack fic but I'm not going to take it that far.

**Fan of Fanatics21:** This is not the Star Wars Reference you're looking for… *waves hand*

**Black Dragon:** Ok

**Toby860:** There is a tenuous peace now, but how long can that last?

* * *

Thanks again for the reviews, and sorry it took so long to get an update out for this. Next time you won't have to wait for another birthday I promise.


	13. The Beast Who Shouted

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Bloodlust**

**XIII: The Beast Who Shouted "I Am" At the Heart of the World**

* * *

It is a very rare instance that Van Helsing would meet with a random stranger on little more than gut instinct. This however was one of those times. If for no other reason, he had to know how this random individual knew who he was.

He clenched his right hand, feeling the ring underneath his glove. It was a very recent addition to his wardrobe and it came from someone special to him.

"Lamika," he whispered to himself as he waited. Of course, he knew the real name of Reina De Diamantes, as they both had something of a love affair fifty years ago. She revealed herself to be an immortal, a mage who had become so intoned with magic itself that she had transcended the barriers of mortality. The marks she bore on her shoulder proved it to those who knew what they meant.

Being an immortal himself came with the prospect of loneliness. He'd never really get close to his inner circle members though he'd always respect them and be their comrades. The reason was simple; he knew he would outlive them. Immortality it seems did have a drawback.

But then he met her, the one woman he knew of in the world that he could share eternity with. He'd always be tempted to turn her, as was his nature, but he'd always resist it. She already has eternal life, and he would respect the sanctity of her body. That of course, didn't mean she wouldn't let him have a taste every once in a while….

The approach of the man who wanted to see him roused him out of his nostalgia. He would see Lamika soon enough. For now, he had business to attend to. He sat at the table of an outdoor café watching as the man sat down thumbing something in his pocket. Van Helsing winced slightly as he heard a sound inside his hearing range that was bothersome, but he knew what it was and was used to such things.

"Are the birds flying south?" the man asked. Van Helsing had already arranged this particular round of 'sign-countersign' and knew what to say to let the man know it was safe to talk.

"They are long gone my friend," he replied.

"Good. I'm glad to finally meet you face to face Lord Helsing. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ryoji Kaji, I'm a member of Blacklight."

"The mage coven," Van Helsing noted. "Ah, I see. Now I understand how you even knew of my existence. I assume then you have information for me that I need to hear."

"I do, you see at this point, I'm something of a quadruple agent. I have so many masters it's sometimes hard to keep track of them all. But as it stands I'm in a position to be of most help to you. I know the Midnight Order is trying to help us, and I think that's what we need now."

"So what is this information?"

"Even here I dare not speak about it Lord Helsing, but I have the information on the data chip that is attached to the underside of my coffee cup." Kaji lifted the cup and took a drink so that Van Helsing could see the chip for himself. "There is far too much information there to relate out loud but I will tell you this… I know from my position as Special Inspector for NERV that the order is investigating NERV's activities. I can confirm that there is wrongdoing going on, but the chip will be more precise as to its nature."

"And what of SEELE?"

"That's on the chip as well. I've been able to dig up a lot but there are still large pieces missing. Someone of your expertise though… I'm certain that you can put them together accordingly."

"I see." Van Helsing considered him a moment. He knew that there were no outward signs of deception, but he also knew that if this man was in fact serving four different masters, he was probably a skilled liar. Still, being a member of Blacklight meant that the powerful mages of that coven trusted him. For the time being, he had to go with this. Even if the information wasn't all accurate, it was more than the order had… especially since Korgan managed to escape.

"Let me ask you one question," he requested.

"Go ahead," Kaji replied.

"Do you know of a man named Korgan?"

"Korgan? He's one of the twelve vampires on the Shadow Council isn't he?"

"The same," he confirmed. "What do you think the chances are that he's also a member of SEELE?"

Kaji looked at him levelly and sipped his coffee again, the chip already removed by Van Helsing. "I have no doubts in mind that he's one of them."

"I see."

"What you have to ask yourself now, Lord Helsing, is why is here there."

Van Helsing begain to mill that over in his mind as the sound that was annoying him abruptly ended.

"Thanks for the coffee old friend; we really must do this again sometime." And with that, Kaji left him to his thoughts.

* * *

**NERV**

* * *

"What are we doing in here Sempai?" Maya asked as they entered one of the storage areas near Ritsuko's upper labs. "I didn't think we kept anything all that important in here."

"Well we do keep some of the MAGI supplies in this room, but there is a more important reason I brought you in here Maya," Ritsuko replied.

Before Maya could ask what that was she was suddenly pushed against a cargo box by her shoulders and a mouth sealed it self over hers. For a moment she couldn't breathe but realized what had happened and very nearly had a heart attack.

_Oh my God… Sempai is…_

Instantly her mind clicked back in and the kiss became mutual. Ritsuko had never felt so much passion in one person before. She slid her hand down to her assistant's small posterior and gave it a squeeze causing a squeak of mixed surprised and pleasure to emit from the small girl. Instantly the leg on that side came up and held at about Ritsuko's hip level as if trying to push her entire body into her. They broke the kiss of for a second as both the doctor and the computer tech were completely out of breath.

"You… young lady… have been holding out on me," Ritusko said between breaths.

"This room isn't monitored is it?" Maya asked. The words were more of a statement than an actual question.

Ritusko nodded. "So… when were you going to tell me about your night job?"

"Night… omigosh! H-How did you find out about that?"

"Rei told me you were special but she didn't tell me how," she replied calmly. "It's ok, I know about her vampirism, I helped her fake a medical exam so Commander Ikari would back off of her."

Maya's heart was still pounding, both from the sudden passionate exchange and the fact that Sempai knew more about what was happening then she realized.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I didn't think you'd believe me if I told you I was attacked by a vampire."

"So you knew you were attacked when you were in the hospital then?"

"I didn't know it was Rei until recently." While Maya did consider the possibility that the passionate exchange was something to get her guard down and didn't actually mean anything, she banished that though because Ritsuko still held her the same way, and her right hand was still on her left butt cheek holding her up.

"It's ok, really. I'm just glad you're ok." Hearing her Sempai say such things caused her heart to flutter. "In fact, I want to help you."

"You don't even know what I do in my spare time."

"I know that. Rei wanted me to hear it from you." She finally let Maya down so she could be more comfortable. Maya went about straightening her uniform a little.

"Well… it's hard to explain all of the details, but the long and short of it is that I work for a secret society that polices supernatural entities like Vampires, Werewolves and Mages. My Grandfather was a member of this society, and I replaced him during my vacation. They… modified me a bit." Ritusko's eyebrow rose at her choice of words. "They did it so that I could keep up with my quarry incase direct combat was necessary."

"Are you saying you're on par with Werewolves and Vampires in terms of physical ability?"

Maya chuckled. "Hard to believe looking at me, huh. But it's true."

"No wonder you've been so energetic," Ritsuko commented. "If your order is researching the supernatural, are you also researching us?"

"I… I really shouldn't talk about that Sempai, I'm sorry."

It was enough of an answer for Ritsuko. Even after all her training, she knew her Maya was telling her they were. But this was an excellent opportunity. She could slip tidbits of information to Maya here and there allowing her to give that information to her superiors in this secret society. If they have any power, they could help bring down Gendo and end this insanity for good.

"Well, I won't push. You've probably said too much already."

"Sorry," she said again.

"Oh well, only one thing left to do now. I wanted a secluded spot for a reason."

"And what would…" her sentence was cut off as Ritsuko attack her with another kiss. The sheer force of Ritsuko's libido was pushing Maya into a frenzy.

One hand slid up and groped one of her small breasts as the other roughly unbuttoned her uniform top. Her Sempai stopped kissing her long enough to nibble on her collar bone as a hand clutched a bra-covered breast squeezing just enough to elicit powerful sensations but not as hard as to cause pain.

As Maya's mind reeled at the skill of her Sempai she felt a sudden heavy vibration in the ground. Both stopped what they were doing instantly, locking eyes.

"What was that?" they both said in unison. A second latter the Angel Alarm sounded.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" Ritsuko cried out in frustration. Maya quickly buttoned her shirt.

"I'll take a rain check Sempai," she said quickly, then gave her a quick kiss on the lips before running from the store room and tucking her shirt in at the same time.

Ritsuko sighed heavily. "Well this figures…."

* * *

**Several Hours Later**

* * *

The moment the radar silhouette of Sahaquel showed up on the main scanners, the three EVA's took off at full velocity, each hopping they would manage to lock onto the angel's location before it managed to hit the ground. Shinji pushed his EVA hard as the time to impact grew ever closer to 0.

"Come on," he reassured himself and his EVA. "We can do this." As the timer continued to run down, Shinji suddenly realized he'd never make it to the drop zone in time. He debated using magic but his EVA had other plans.

"Third Child's Sync Ratio passing 80 percent!" Maya reported.

"Confirmed!" Shigeru echoed.

Outside the EVA, a shockwave suddenly flared forth from the EVA as Shinji's running speed broke the 700 mph mark and consequently was now running beyond Mach One.

"I have a visual!" Shinji yelled as the clouds parted and the massive form of Sahaquel continued it's decent. As soon as he knew he was within range, he began sliding to a halt, sliding what felt like miles before finally stopping right under the angel.

:"Spreading AT Field!" he yelled and the EVA obeyed. The power of his field was enough to destroy small buildings in the drop zone as it spread. He raised his EVA's hands above him and focused his AT Field.

As this was happening, Rei sucked in a gulp of LCL and kicked her speed up a notch. Asuka was in almost perfect position to intercept, so she had to pick up her own slack. Skidding to halt, she ended up next to Shinji a few seconds after the massive angel hit his AT Field like a wrecking ball and almost pushed him down. She used one hand to help push up the massive angel as her other drew a progressive knife. Asuka drew a Progressive Sword as she ran up the hill, spinning laterally as the AT Field was ripped opened and using the force of her spin to penetrate the core with little resistance. Seconds later, the angel's dead body exploded in a massive torrent of blood.

Much to Misato's surprise, all three EVA's were still standing after that tidal wave.

"Report!" she commanded.

"No problems Misato-san," Shinji replied, "we're fine. Mission successful!"

"Glad to hear it Shinji-kun. If you have enough power, proceed to the nearest recall point."

"Roger that," Rei replied in her usual deadpan.

"Who else needs a shower?" Asuka's voice called out.

"Why you offering?" Shinji replied instantly.

"Baka Hentai!"

Fuyutsuki facepalmed as the argument / teasing fest continued. "They're embarrassing us again."

* * *

**Somewhere in Germany**

* * *

The dark office of Lorenz Keel echoed the darkness of the man himself. He had spent the last couple of days investigating his colleagues in SEELE, being the only member of the 12 to know who the others were. Of late, one member was beginning to bother him… SEELE-6 specifically.

His name, supposedly was Marcus Vanderholt, one of the richest of them all and a man who put forth a considerable amount of his own wealth into this project. The problem was, other than some rudimentary information on the man, he seemed to have no life outside of SEELE and didn't even exist at all during daytime hours.

"Who are you really Marcus?" Keel asked an empty room. Every individual in SEELE wanted to see this final project, this one goal through to the end. But why then did Marcus bother him so much?

When he received word that a supernatural war was being fought within the confines of Tokyo-3, Keel figured it was about time something like that happened. Apparently the rumors of military action within the city were not only true, but in reality the work of mercenary units working for even stranger organizations, such organizations included Lycanthropes.

"But why now?" It was something that bothered him. Such creatures existed in the darkness, entire wars fought, won and lost without the common man ever knowing about it. Suddenly their conflicts have boiled over to the surface and have become a lot more visible. But why now of all times? Could it be that the very reason these confrontations between age old enemies has suddenly flared up was because the end is so very close?

The scariest thought however came a moment later. _What if they seek to control Third Impact?_ In part this was a ridiculous idea; who even knew they were going through with such a plan? SEELE had taken such great pains to preserve the information and prevent it from getting out, so if there was a leak of information into the supernatural community…

"Where did it happen?" Keel was willing to believe that SEELE-6 was partially responsible for it, but what was his angle? What was Marcus's goal? Certainly he wasn't looking to pull the plug on the operation as Gendo suggested. What if the truth was far more sinister?

"But how do I proceed?" Keel didn't even know where to begin. He didn't have enough evidence to finger Marcus as being a traitor to SEELE or of having an ulterior motive. The only way the other 10 members were going to go for anything he said about this, was if he brought irrefutable proof.

Doing that before a secret society whose members are nearly unknown even to each other would be beyond tricky….

* * *

**Mid Town Tokyo-3 Later That Evening**

* * *

_Where is she?_

Shinji had been waiting on one of the less traveled intersections for his beloved for the better part of an hour. She'd never been this late before which was starting to worry him. He was about to head back towards the apartment when he noticed someone was nearby.

"There you are!" He said exasperated. "I was look…" he trailed as he suddenly realized it didn't feel like her.

The person who then stepped into the light was about Rei's height and looked an awful lot like her but had greenish hair and very light blue eyes. The eyes were so light they were almost ghostly. A mark appeared on her cheek as she let slip a few words. It took Shinji one second too long to realize the words were of the Sphere of Forces, that she was incanting a binding spell, and that he was the target.

Suddenly chains of pure force clasped around his arms and legs dragging him down to the sidewalk in a kneeling position. He fought back against the pull but was unable to budge them or affect the enchantment itself.

"What is this?" he shouted. "Let me go!"

"I'm afraid that isn't possible," a male voice came from the shadows. Shinji watched as several men in dark cloaks and hoods stepped from the shadows. They wore all black, and looked to him like cos-playing freaks. But he knew they weren't… they were mages. And at least one of them was far more powerful than he was.

"So you are Yui's son," he continued. "I have to admit, I'm disappointed."

"He called to someone Master," the girl with mark said as other dark figures emerged from the shadows. "Someone named Rei."

"Stay out of my mind!" he snapped at her. "Who the hell are you people?"

"We are the Order of the Black Rose," he replied. "Part of Yui's coven. We sensed someone was using her power and here we find you… Shinji."

"Well that's just great, but I've got places I have to be so if you'd kindly…"

For his words, the man made a downward motion with his hands and it felt to Shinji that a great weight was thrust on top of him. The other five mages minus the girl and the man approached him.

"I'm afraid that's not possible. We never gave Yui permission to pass her power and knowledge on to anyone else, especially not an outsider."

"So you expect me to join?" He asked. Then he watched as the mages began drawing sacrificial blades.

"No… I expect you to die."

A moment later one of the mages went down with a thrown blade in his neck. The others backed up and instantly raised force barriers to stop the other blades from hitting them.

Rei dropped between Shini and the coven of mages drawing a pair of blades.

"Mages or no," she threatened, "anyone else comes closer and I'll kill them. Last to die gets to do it slowly."

"A vampire," the man said with little surprise. "Wait… you… you look like Yui!" the shift was dramatic, his surprise evident as she stepped back.

"That's none of your concern," she snapped. "Get your people out of here before I repaint the sidewalk with their blood."

"Fool!" his voice boomed, and Rei was suddenly seized by an unseen force. The blades dropped from her hands as the force began crushing her. She gasped in pain as her bones started snapping and blood shot from her mouth.

"Ayanami!" Shinji yelled.

"How would you like to be beheaded by your own bones?" the man threatened. "I can arrange that you know."

Rei felt her ribs trying to separate as her regeneration desperately tried to hold her body in one shape.

"Bastards!" Shinji yelled as his eyes started to take on the smoky darkness of shadow magic.

"Master!" the girl called out, trying to get his attention, then resorted to chanting a reinforcement spell to try to hold her rapidly degrading bonds in place.

"Not now," he snapped, "I'm in the middle of slaying a vampire."

Those words were all it took to push Shinji past the point of reason. His eyes rolled over completely black and with a roar from his lungs that sounded almost demonic, the force bonds shattered.

The man dropped Rei as soon as that happened and tried to capture Shinji in a Force Prision, but as he did so, his form took on a shadowy essence and he slipped though the forming walls of the would be cage. Coming back into reality he summoned up a single dark energy around his hands and rushed at the first mage. In response, the mage raised his hand to throw up a barrier to stop him but at that moment Shinji called forth the Time Sphere and sped himself up to the point that the mage wasn't fast enough.

Rei coughed as the massacre began and watched the events in mute horror as her body regenerated…

Thrusting his hand forward, a black blade of pure shadow energy ripped into reality and flew into the mage with so great a force it punched straight through him. Shinji turned towards the next mage that was summoning a lightning bolt as the back side of the first one exploded outwards in a shower of blood and gore.

The lightning bolt lanced though Shinji but didn't even slow him down as he made a motion with his hands like he was opening a pair of curtains at the mage. Suddenly the mage's chest ripped opened and his heart fell out of his chest in a torrent of blood. It beat a few times before it stopped. The third managed to throw both of his dagger into Shinji's chest but he didn't even seem to notice the blades were there as he made an upward motion with his hands causing shadow spikes to rip out of the ground though the mage.

The fourth tried to run to his master only to have himself grabbed in an invisible sphere of force. With a snap of Shinji's fingers, the very space with in the force bubble aged 3000 years in a few seconds. He released it causing a cloud of corpse gas to explode from the bubble as dust and shattered bone fell to the street.

The head mage had never seen such a display of power. He pulled his hands back and unleashed a ray of pure force into Shinji who blocked it with a single hand.

Shinji was beyond reason as he stepped forward pushing against the deadly beam. He spoke in a voice that echoed with a demonic undertone as he walked forward.

"_**So you like to play with the Sphere of Forces do you? How would you like to see what it can really do?**_"

Shinji's other hand raised up and the man was caught by the wrist by pure force. He struggled against it, muttering a counter spell but it wasn't enough suddenly his wrist snapped causing him to yelp in pain.. The force kept pushing back however and soon the bones in his forearms punched though his skin and muscle tissue, the jagged edges dripping with his blood.

He screamed in pain as his other arm was twisted by pure force and ripped off at the shoulder. His body was lifted into the air as the now blood splattered female mage backed up. Her face horrified at what was happening.

Rei started to stand up and tried to call for Shinji to stop but the words caught in her throat. Around him was an aura, an image that appeared to be a shadowy illusion of EVA 01… and it's movements were mimicking Shinji's in perfect sync.

"_**You mentioned something about being decapitated with your own bones?**_" the voice said again. This time Rei noticed that it was both Shinji and the image that spoke.

With another hand motion the man's legs snapped back, breaking at the thigh bones as his spine began to twist. Four of his ribs tore out of his chest curving back towards the body and penetrating his neck in four directions. Shinji then held his right hand up and snapped his fingers. At that moment, the body exploded into a shower of shredded flesh, shattered bones and bloody entrails.

The girl attempted to run but was suddenly seized by force as well and pulled to Shinji. Rei manage to get some of her strength back and ran towards him as Shinji wrapped his hands around the girl's throat and started to strangle her.

"Shinji! Shinji, get a hold of yourself! Stop it!"

She managed to use her vampiric strength to rip him off of the look-alike. The girl hit the ground on her side coughing as she tried to get her breath back. She tried to get up only to have a large lycan paw hold her down.

"I wouldn't move if I were you," Asuka growled out.

Rei got in front of Shinji holding him by the shoulders as he shook with rage and adrenaline. "Calm yourself, please." Her gentle voice was working, albeit slowly.

Asuka looked around at the mess that was made in the street. "Goddamn Shinji, this is worthy of one of my nights out."

Shinji's beathing finally calmed down as the last traces of the black aura faded away. As his eyes went back to normal he suffered the effects of adrenaline crash and collapsed into Rei.

"It's alright Shinji-kun, I have you," she whispered, stroking his hair in an almost motherly manner as he nearly passed out on her.

"Rei…chan," he whispered. "What's…. what's happening to me…. I… saw what I was doing but… I couldn't stop. Maybe I didn't want to stop." His voice turned dark at the last piece of his words.

Rei's blood turned into ice in her veins. Commander Ikari wanted to break him and make him easy to control for his purposes. Between Rei's influence and his mother's lessons, he's gained confidence… but that wasn't all he gained. He also has anger issues now, and in the hands of someone with his power, that was a very dangerous thing.

_He's starting to lose control of it._

Somewhere deep inside of Shinji was a raging beast. It suddenly occurred to Rei that perhaps it wasn't his EVA that went berserk all those times, but Shinji himself, and his EVA became an extension of that rage and hatred. It was a monster of Gendo's creation, and now it had the power of a true Arch Mage…worse yet… a Shadow Mage at the tip of its claws.

"Wondergirl," Asuka said in her own voice, "we need to get out of here." Rei looked and saw that she was barefoot but clothed. The female mage was tied up in vines that looked fresh and Asuka was using some kind of red powder to destroy the evidence of Shinji's rage. "I smell Section-2, and it won't be long before they're here."

Rei helped Shinji up as the three of them, plus their prisoner, took off into the night. It was only as they escaped that the pain in Shinji's chest got worse.

* * *

**Elsewhere**

* * *

Doctor Van Helsing stared at the last notes on the computer chip given to him by Ryoji Kaji. Although he was inclined to believe the data he saw, he didn't want to. It outlined a potential nightmare.

Kaji had been in possession of Adam's Embryo, stolen from SEELE, one of his masters it seemed, and brought it to Genodo Ikari as he was ordered. Since then his investigation has turned up interesting facts, details about experiments within Project-E, some data on the so called Dummy Plug System, and the fact that SEELE was in the process of building something of their own in secret… possibly nine somethings. Though Kaji didn't know what they were building, it was taking massive amounts of resources to finish the project. Each part was enough to bankrupt many small countries.

Then there was the fact that Rei, the vampire that attacked Maya was turned about the same time the Shadow Council first started taking real notice of Tokyo-3. And her Sire…

_Could it be?_

Van Helsing knew of a vampire named Kenjiro. Specifically Kenjio Umatsu, a top ranking assassin for the Shadow Council. He did the work no one wanted to do, and did it with little care. His blood was powerful, so Rei's blood must also be quite strong, especially if this data is to be believed.

Kaji found out that Rei was a clone of Yui Ikari, one of the most powerful and well know Shadow Mages in existence. She was a member of the Order of the Black Rose but a maverick by anyone's definition of the word. Routinely, she was in trouble with her order but more often than not managed to get away with it.

But what else was Rei? She wasn't completely human, that much was obvious by her hair color, which Kaji swears is natural. That's not even taking into account that her eyes were red long before she was embraced.

"Gendo Ikari has a plan for her," he said out loud as he stood up. "She's important for something, and I get the feeling that whatever it is, it's not what SEELE had in mind."

His subordinate in the room, Jacob looked upon his master quizzically. "Why do you say that?"

"Because Kaji indicated that SEELE has no actual knowledge about her, just that she is the First Children. Nothing more than that and some falsified data. Why would Gendo go through that much trouble unless she was an important part of his plans."

"But what plans Lord Helsing?"

"I don't know for sure, but I have a theory. Kaji made mention that SEELE was in possession of the Dead Sea Scrolls. According to the information we have, the scrolls detail a timeline… a specific order of events that are to take place during the End Times. Those End Times could refer to this war between angels and humanity raging in Tokyo-3. But what if the scrolls also detailed something else? If the Angels win the war, humanity is doomed. If we win, we're saved. But just how will the Angels end humanity?"

"Kill us all I suppose."

"True, but let me ask you this… why do they keep attacking Tokyo-3 when by now they must know the limits of the Evnagelion Technology. It would make more sense to attack any other large metropolitan area, they'd do more damage because the Evangelions would be so slow to respond to threats outside their sphere of influence."

"Something must be drawing them there!" Jacob said as he realized what Van Helsing was getting at.

"Precisely! But what? And is it something that can be used by humanity to destroy the angels? Think about how alien the technology that the EVA's are is to everything else we've created as a species. Kaji said they were both organic and inorganic. Before the Second Impact, we had no organic technology. Now suddenly we have several story tall, organic mecha?

"It doesn't add up at all, unless SEELE is attempting to so something, perhaps the same something the Angels are. I'd already guessed that the angelic embryo of Adam that Kaji transported to NERV was probably what was drawing them there, but the first three angels had also attacked the city before it arrived. So it must be something else. Something big.

"Then there is also Rei herself, who has no existence prior to age 3 and the oddest hair color I've ever seen. She was created by Gendo and may be directly connected to this. That seems to be the case since it was effectively the Shadow Council that turned her.

"So she has a direct role in future events. If that is the case, then we have to assume that Gendo Ikari is attempting to hijack the process SEELE is attempting somehow. And if that is the case, perhaps The Shadow Council is attempting to do the same since they effectively had her turned."

"That's preposterous! That's assuming SEELE is trying to kill the entire human race!"

"It does indeed sound rather backwards, but based on the data Maya first retrieved though our researchers, that is precisely what they are doing. But even without knowing that much, think about it… the reports of mystical material being transferred to the Shadow Council, SEELE hiding behind the Instrumentality committee, The Sephirotic System displayed in Gendo's office, and more recently, Korgan attempting to get the Crucible of Souls."

Jacob fell silent at this. The revelation of it all was scary to say the least.

"The only kink in my theory is that Korgan tried to have Rei killed, apparently over the loss of a Childe at in Tokyo-3. But Korgan is a known hot head and probably let his anger get the better of him. Since we haven't seen another Shadow Dancer since the incident we can assume this much.

"What we need to do at this point Jacob, is find Korgan no matter what the cost. This whole mess started after Rei was turned. Wraith is a minion of the Shadow Council and Korgan is the one doing the dirty work. We need to find out what the Council is up to or we're just going to keep running around with wild theories and accusations that will get us nowhere at all."

"Our best men are already on it. Perhaps you can enlist the help of Reina De Diamantes? I'm sure if anyone wants to see Korgan captured, it's the person he tried to kill."

"And it's an excuse to see her again," Helsing mused to himself. "Not so subtle Jacob."

"I wasn't going for subtle this time Lord Helsing," he replied. "I was going for Sledgehammer to the Left Hemisphere."

Van Helsing chuckled at that… it was the first time today he had a good laugh. Considering the subject matter… he needed it.

Yes… Lamika was going to have a visitor this evening after all…

* * *

**End of Chapter 13**

* * *

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est, _

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_

* * *

**A/N:** Another chapter comes to a close.

**Mike Kromer:** "About blood time"… Ironic comment or horrible pun? Either way, I tried to get this one out as quick as possible but I've been pulled in many directions lately.

**gunman: **Only one still out of the loop is Misato… but she's gonna get introed to it very soon.

Not many reviews this time, but since it's been over a year since updates came regularly, I can't blame anyone. Hopefully you'll all come back around and see what hell I've created.

Thanks again for coming by and sharing in my insanity. See you next chapter.


	14. Misery

**WARNING:** The following chapter contains mention of child rape and implied pedophilia / violence against a minor. I do not condone such actions. Note also that I will not mess up the overall look of the chapter by marking the section with it so you have been warned. Don't like it, don't read it, and don't comment on how you don't want to see it either. We're more adult than that I hope.

The section is quite tame and the event is mostly glossed over as describing such an event would both be against Fanfiction net's polices and be far too much for the story.

* * *

**XIV: Misery**

* * *

**Chamber of Gaf**

The insane well of souls stands as a testament not only to NERV's scientific ability, but also its underlying insanity. As Gendo continued to examine the information on the screen in front of him, the clones around him continued their low giggling cacophony. He had gotten used to the sound long ago and ignored it as he continued to scrutinize the data he saw there.

She still bothered him… Rei… something about her was wrong and he damn well knew it. Doctor Akagi didn't find anything out of the ordinary about her but even she admitted that if something deeper was amiss she may not detect it. It was because of this underlying uncertainty, that Gendo still suspected Rei of something.

His other problem was Shinji, his son. Rei had moved in with him at Major Katsuragi's residence, which he gave the go ahead for. If it wasn't for her apartment burning down, he wouldn't have allowed this. But then, he didn't know why he allowed it in the first place. Certainly it was a bad idea to keep The First and Third so close to each other but then, why couldn't he give the order to dissolve this arrangement?

But that was the least of his problems. Keel had been grilling him more and more lately, now about SEELE itself. Gendo of course officially knew nothing of their members. But unofficially, he knew quite a bit. Maybe not enough to take direct action against them, but he was not without his own knowledge just in case things went south for him. But it was Marcus, SEELE-06, that was the subject of the conversation this time around.

Gendo was able to deduce two things from that conversation; That Keel knew a helluva lot more than he did about SEELE's individual members, and that he had a damn good idea at who was trying to disrupt the scenario. He also had a good idea at this point that Keel at least, was convinced that someone is trying to hijack the scenario, and it isn't the Commander himself. In one sense, this was good. It meant all his plans were still progressing according to the scenario he laid out. On the other, it meant he now had competition.

Once he made sure that the data seemed okay, he shut down the terminal and made his way out of the Chamber of Gaf. Though the sounds didn't bother him anymore, a very small part of him was still somewhat unnerved by it. He didn't notice the stares from the clones in the very back of the tank as he left. Once the lights were shut down and the door sealed, they made there move.

Five clones glided from the back of the tank with glowing eyes, quickly assessing the other clones. Each quickly picked a target and grabbed a hold of them, pulling them back into the darkest parts of the tank. As the giggling seemed to intensify, the Vampires began to feed… but they didn't just feed….

Somewhere under the tone of laughter, gasps of pleasure and pain could be heard. In the darkness, the vampires had their way with their prey; one taking a clone from behind, sinking her fangs into her neck even as her hands clutched her victim's breasts, another sunk her fangs in place on either side of the delicate flower situated a the peak of her legs, intending to both eat out the victim and feed at the same time. A mixture of vampiric and clone blood began to trail over the dark parts of the well., and immediately the filters tried to combat the sudden increase in impurities. One of the vampires however, managed to jam the intakes closed allowing the blood orgy to continue unabated.

Soon the vampires were ganging up on singular victims as others were in the throes of transformation. Slowly the cacophony changed from giggles to moans and cries as the clones one by one succumb to vampiric corruption. One clone had three vampires on her at once, one at her neck, one at her side almost drapped over her body and one at the small of her back caressing her posterior. The LCL became ever slicker as the ratio of LCL to non angelic blood increased. The temperature also increased considerably as bodies heated up and lustful energy permeated every inch of the well.

Another clone writhed nearby as several newly turned vampires fed on various parts of her body; breasts, legs, neck and wrists as another vampress became lost in a passionate tongue dance with the victim. She herself had another vampire licking her body and had two fingers inserted into her womanhood.

The spectacle would have been maddening to the normal man as it continued. It was a demonic orgy of blood, pain and lust that seemed unending. In less than half an hour after the chaos began, the LCL was stained so red with blood that no one outside would be able to see in at all.

Finally, after forty-five minutes of moans, screams and cries silence once again took hold of the well. Slowly the red was filtered out of the LCL as one by one, the clones resumed floating and giggling with ignorant bliss. Outwardly, no signs of the abominus acts that just took place could be seen. But a discerning eye would see the horrible truth….

* * *

**Outside of Tokyo-3**

* * *

Beyond the edge of Tokyo-3 several businesses had set up shop to help bolster the economy of the new city. At first things were good, money flowed, jobs came and everything was well. Then the Angels started coming and these outskirts found themselves random victims of incoming monsters and stray JSSDF fire. Slowly as the war dragged on, these outside areas started to evacuate away from Tokyo-3 until most of them, even those not normally in the line of fire, became ghost towns.

It was here that Rei had begun building a new hidden safehouse for herself. After all, Major Katsuragi didn't know anything about Rei and Shinji's abilities, so they had to stash their secrets somewhere.

Three individuals walked into one of the less dilapidated houses; The First, Second and Third Children of NERV. With them, they dragged a girl who resembled Rei closely with greenish hair and very light blue eyes.

Asuka spoke a few words in an ancient druidic tongue causing the vines around her to grasp the chair she was placed in. Once tightened, she wasn't going anywhere. Surprisingly, she wasn't struggling at all.

"Let's start at the beginning," Rei began as she got down to the girls level. "Who are you?"

She didn't answer, didn't even make eye contact.

"This can go easily or badly for you," Rei threatened in an even voice. "Answer my questions."

Still no response…

"We don't have time for this," Shinji said with boredom in his voice. With a couple of words, two lines of shadow crafted barbed wire wrapped around her chest and neck pulling her back. She gasped in pain as the barbs started to break her skin.

"Start talking," Shinji commanded, "or so help me, you'll get to see the inside of your anatomy tonight!"

"Shinji-kun! Stop it!" Rei demanded.

"She'll talk one way or another Rei-chan, and considering you almost died tonight, I'm not inclined to be a nice guy right now."

"Let… her… go."

The sheer level of anger in Rei's voice shocked Shinji. With a wave of his hand, the barbed wire vanished allowing the girl to gasp for breath and make pained sounds as she bleed in a few places.

"Done," Shinji replied. "But empty threats aren't going to get her to talk Rei-chan." His glare turned towards the girl. "You had better start cooperating. Rei won't hold me back forever. I owe you for what your leader almost did to her."

"Good cop bad cop Shinji?" Asuka asked with her arms crossed.

"Nothing of the sort, I will kill her," he replied.

"Wow, you didn't just grow a spine, you squashed your conscience. Maybe I was wrong, maybe it isn't Wonderslut I have to worry about."

Shinji's eyes rolled over black as his hand flicked up and three blades of dark energy slammed into the wall next to Asuka's head. She moved instantly, not even needing her sense of smell to know the blades were silvered.

"Go ahead!" he yelled. "Insult her in front of me again!"

"You need to come the fuck down right now Third!" Asuka growled. "You're acting like more of an animal than I actually am."

"Seriously Shinji-kun," Rei pleaded, "you have to control your temper."

Shinji squeezed his eyes shut and started opening and closing his hands. Finally he began to calm down, breathing out an even breath.

"I'm sorry," he said at length. "You're right; I'm acting like a damned monster." He stepped away. "I need air."

"As much as this is probably ill advised," Asuka began as her gaze shifted to the dissipating blades in the wall, "I'll go with him."

Rei sighed as Asuka stepped out. She kneeled down in front of the girl and started checking her new wounds.

"I'm really sorry he did that," she said. "He's been so hard to control lately. Is that why you're people tried to kill him?"

The girl didn't respond to her, not even looking up.

"Guess we're going to be here a while then."

* * *

**South of Suzaka**

* * *

"Of all the people to come here, I never expected the great Professor Abraham Van Helsing."

The man who spoke these words appeared as a powerful spellcaster, wearing adorned back robes with red outlined patterns, one of which resembled a rose. His hair was long and black and he had a thin mustache that resembled those on old Chinese kung fu masters. The overall look made him appear sinister in many ways. Van Helsing knew this man was old, nearly as old as he was but had not attained the oneness with magic that Lamika had, so it was a mystery to him as to why he was still alive.

"My sources have told me, Lord Thane, that a battle between your mages and Shinji Ikari happened a short time ago. That your people attempted to kill him because he had Yui's power but was not of the coven."

Grand Magus Thane looked annoyed that he would bring this up. "This is an internal matter Professor. I suggest you allow us to deal with it as we so choose."

"You know the Midnight Order can not allow this kind of activity. We have the means to stop this ourselves but we'd rather you voluntarily back down."

"Your order is meaningless!" one of the mages yelled. "It's you who have no power here!"

"Silence!" Grand Magus Thane yelled at the mage. "We're not going to start a war here."

As Thane deliberated, Van Helsing looked about the coven house. It was an expensive dwelling to be sure with many rooms and stylized gothic touches on the inside. This main meeting room had tiered seats along three walls and circle consisting of a complex Pentacle on the floor with mystical scrawling both outside the double border and inside of it as well. This circle was created into a wooden floor, etched in place rather professionally.

"Fine," he said at length, snapping Van Helsing out of his examination. "I'll leave Ikari alone, however one of my people that was involved in that fight is missing. I don't know if she's been killed or not, but I want her back."

"My people didn't indicate any prisoners were taken, but I'll investigate it anyway."

"You have my thanks. Her name is Nyri. Please see to it she is returned to me."

"If she lives, I'll take care of it."

"One last thing Professor," Thane began as Van Helsing stopped. "Shinji Ikari may be unstable. If he gets out of control, no amount of negotiation will stay my hand. Mark my words… he's a danger to himself and anyone in his reach."

"If it comes to that Grand Magus, we'll deal with it our way. It's what we do."

* * *

**Rei's Hideout, Later**

* * *

Shinji and Asuka had realized they weren't going to be of any help with the prisoner. Rei was worried that one of these days, they would actually try to kill each other. Shinji certainly seemed intent on that happening earlier when he threw the blades at her. But Shinji was an expert shot with those weapons and he had deliberately missed. Asuka likely knew that too, but showed no fear towards him.

Rei sat down in front of the girl who was still being very quiet.

"I know you want to go home," Rei said. "I'd rather not keep you here either, this isn't a safe place for someone who's unable to fight back. I don't want to hurt you at all, I just want answers… especially about why you look so much like me."

She still didn't speak. Rei sighed.

"You must have some great discipline to stay quiet for so long," Rei commented. "I grew up in a high discipline environment as well so I can relate. Up until the day I was turned, I was pretty deadpan all the time. I started to truly feel after that."

The girl looked up slightly, not making eye contact but obviously paying attention.

"You know what its like to have your attitude adjusted all the time with drugs?"

She slowly shook her head.

"I didn't think so," Rei continued. "It was rough, now that I really think about it. Now that I can feel… I know what it's like to be appreciated at last."

Rei stood up, thinking about the times she nearly lost that due to self control issues. Her incident with Maya was the most prominent in her mind.

"I…" the girl finally spoke.

Rei turned towards her. She realized the girl's voice was the same as hers as well.

"I… am important… to someone."

Rei walked over towards the girl and sat back down again.

"Who?" Rei asked in a soft voice.

"… His name is Grand Magus Thane. He's the leader of our coven."

"I see," Rei replied. "What's he like?"

"Tall… strong… demanding."

"Sounds like the man how created me," she replied.

"He'll come for me," the girl added.

Rei sighed. "I don't want to get into a war with the coven, Shinji's already trying to do that it seems."

"The Grand Magus won't do that either. He'll want me back… but he'll be willing to deal."

"Are you sure?"

"He… needs me."

"Oh?" Rei couldn't help her curiosity.

"I… shouldn't talk about it."

Rei looked at the girl, silently speaking a necromantic incantation. She was shocked to immediately discover that the girl's spiritual energy was dramatically low. She channeled mana well but it was if her soul had been mostly leeched away from her. The damage was irreversible from what she could tell, and it's likely the girl only has a month to live, maybe less.

"He's doing something to you isn't he?"

Silence… Rei figured that was enough for the moment. Rei began to ponder just what this girl had been going though…

* * *

**Elsewhere**

* * *

Shinji arrived back at his home only to find that Misato is pulling yet another all-nighter. She's been doing that almost non-stop since Rei's apartment burned down. In fact the last time he had any real contact with her was shortly after the incident, since then she's been a recluse.

Trying not to let it bother him, he went to his room and changed into proper night apparel. Rei would be working on the girl most of the night by his figuring, so she should be back by morning. Well, he trusted her to be back by morning at any rate.

As he sat on his bed he began to let himself slip into a trance. He had to recharge his energies as he spent a lot trying to survive the attack by the Black Rose Coven.

_I still can't believe mom's old coven wants me dead…_

The why was what eluded him, and he hoped that Rei would be able to find the answers.

Suddenly he felt a coldness during his meditation, not realizing he was still meditating, he felt himself being dragged into cold water. He saw the darkness around him closing in, closing over his head and engulfing him.

Before he could cry out he snapped out of his meditation and looked at himself.

"A dream?" he asked the darkness. _Or a taste of things to come?_

_It's a sign it must be... a warning that my anger will drag me into the darkness and never let me escape it. I'll do something I'll forever regret…_

"No way," he said to himself. "I've gotta get this under control before it destroys me completely."

* * *

**Rei's Hideout**

* * *

Rei sat down before the girl again, hoping she would be willing to talk.

"The Grand Magus hasn't contacted me yet," She said to the girl. "But I promise you I won't hurt you. I'd have nothing to gain from that."

"I believe you," she replied. "My… my name is Nyri."

"Nyri," Rei repeated. "It's cute, I like it."

"Thank you," she said softly.

Rei smiled lightly and continued to go back into her thoughts.

"I'm… an artificial being too."

Rei looked up at the girl who was now looking right at her. "What?"

"You said you were created by Gendo Ikari," Nyri replied. "I'm a construct as well."

"I see," Rei responded. "I was wondering…"

"Why he made me?" Nyri watched as Rei nodded. "Yui Ikari was the greatest of us, according to Thane. Only she mastered the art of Shadow Magic to such levels. He was hoping it was something in her genes."

"You mean… he made you to try to create the perfect Shadow Mage?"

"No… to recreate the perfect Shadow Mage," she corrected. "Yui was the most powerful Shadow Mage ever to exist. Our coven was very lucky to have her, but she refused to pass her talents on, saying the powers were far too seductive."

"From what Shinji-kun tells me, Shadow Magic is very addictive and seductive."

"He didn't lie," Nyri replied. "Some of our coven tried to harness it, but they fell to its caress and were taken by the Shadow Realm."

"Shadow Realm?"

"You're better off not knowing."

Rei felt a chill seep into her spine. If Shinji was playing with powers that could in fact damn him, he had to be careful. This would be a new source of anxiety for her.

"You didn't use Shadow Magic at all?"

"No," Nyri replied. "I was a failed experiment, but I had other uses. Despite my failure, I was like a favored daughter to Thane. He doted on me often, made sure I had the best training in the coven. There were a lot of witches in the coven that were very jealous of my position."

Rei frowned. "You don't sound like you are very proud of that."

Darkly the girl replied, "No... I'm not. I told you I had my uses. Although my skills with magic were top notch, it was other… aspects of me that Grand Magus Thane took an interest in.

"You see, while Yui was alive, he tried to court her. But Yui was already married to Gendo Rokubungi She was faithful to him, despite the fact that he was not faithful to her."

"You… knew about that?"

"Thane didn't keep information from me," Nyri replied. "Apparently Yui had complained about it to her friends in the coven. Eventually it got back to Thane. He wanted to kill Gendo to get him out of the way but knew Yui would find out and that would completely ruin his chances with her. He was in a no-win situation."

Rei sighed. "Men always want the most what they can never possess."

"Except in a way Thane did," Nyri corrected.

"What do you…." A scary thought entered into Rei's head. _No, he wouldn't… he couldn't have…_

"He treated me like the daughter he always wanted… until I turned 12. In most of the covens across the globe, it is when we begin our rites to become adults. It is best to move to this stage of our lives early so we can accelerate our learning and become powerful earlier in life. This allows us to expand our power even further as we age. Once my rites were over, he stopped treating me as a daughter, and started treating me an outlet…"

"Oh God," Rei whispered, knowing what was going to come next.

"The first few times it happened, I resisted with everything I had, but what was a skinny 12 year old girl going to do against the Grand Magus. Eventually I stopped fighting back and tried to partake in it equally. I thought maybe if I went with it, I might enjoy it the way he would want me too.

"It didn't stop the pain. My back, my legs, my hips and … other places… they hurt all the time. I disguised my pain with spells to relieve it somewhat but Santeria was never my strong suit. Some of the witches looked at me with jealously, others pity. But I had found a purpose at last. I wasn't just another mage, I was important to the Grand Magus."

"What?" Rei couldn't believe what she was hearing. "How can you justify what he was doing to you?"

"What would you have done, had it been Gendo and you?"

The words caught in Rei's throat, as she suddenly was assailed by that vision. She knew it was her own mind doing it and she tried to stop it. She saw his hands tearing her school uniform off, roughly fondling her body… and through it all, saw herself doing nothing but laying there, obediently, motionless…

… like a doll…

_I am not a doll! I am not! I am I!_

Tears of blood fell from her eyes as she thought about it more. She tried to push the images from her head but they continued to attack her. Finally she unconsciously grasped her necklace.

Her eyes open as this simple act roused her from the nightmarish visions. She opened her hand and saw the single teardrop stone the color of blood…

Shinij had given it to her the day he revealed that he had become a mage.

_Shinji… would you protect me from my demons?_

"You see now?" Nyri asked.

"How old are you?" Rei asked between tears.

"Fourteen," she replied. "Well… almost fourteen."

"Close to my age. He must have made you right after Yui died."

"He did. I don't know if he intended me to fill the void in his heart or desires, but he did ultimately use me for something else."

Rei looked at her levelly. "What is he doing to you metaphysically?"

"You saw that didn't you. I sensed necromantic energy earlier but I kept my mouth shut."

"Please tell me," Rei asked softly.

She sighed. "Grand Magus Thane was born in Romania about 140 years ago. He's sustained his life because his studies allowed him to master a small bit of necromancy, just enough to unlock the secret of Soul Fusing."

"Oh no… he isn't."

"I'm… certainly not the first. During our… sessions … he cuts into me with a sacrificial dagger, fills the wound with black oil and maintains contact with the wound though out the entire event.

"He's like an Incubus now, feeding off the life force and soul energy of those he has sex with. I imagine I've been weakened spiritual by this as it's been going on for over a year now."

Rei's heart broke for the girl. "Your… spirit is irreparably damaged… you have… maybe a month to live… far less if he keeps doing this to you."

"I figured it was getting close," she whispered as salty tears began to break free of her eyes.

"I wish there was something I could do, but not even a Santeria Master could help you now. I'm… I'm sorry."

"It's okay… it's probably for the best."

Silence reigned between the two of them for the better part of two minutes. Rei finally walked over and cut the girl free of the vines, taking her into her arms to comfort her.

Nyri thought about escaping in Rei's moment of weakness but knew it would do no good now. Crying openly, she clung to the vampress. Even a cold body was still a body… she mused it was warmer than Thane ever was to her.

"He must be stopped," Rei whispered. "He's lived long enough."

"I know…" A ragged sigh and a push signaled she wanted to be let go. "But there is still so much more to tell. If you want to take him down, I can give you that information but it's too much to talk about." Her hand reached up and began unclasping the collar she wore around her neck to protect her.

"What are you doing?" Rei asked with confusion.

"I assume you know the Thaumaturgic ritual of 'Blood Memory'."

"No! I won't! That'll kill you!"

"In less than a month I'm dead anyway," she cried out as tears slipped again. "My life may have been worth nothing till this point, but if you can end Thane, then my death at least will have meaning… please… do it."

"I… I can't," Rei whispered.

"You must!" Nyri cried out. "You're the only one who has the power and connections to end him! Don't let it be that I have suffered for nothing! Please Rei! Do this for me!"

Rei looked away… the girl was right. Eventually, the mages will come, likely tonight… and this might be her only chance.

_Would I have been this hopeless, this ready to die in the end had my life not changed? Of course I would have… I was ready to die… I was born to die…and when Kenjiro came to me that night in my room… I was more than ready to die. Even if I wasn't going to be replaced I was ready to die…and my death would have been without meaning…_

"This… may hurt a little," Rei whispered.

"I don't mind," Nyri said as the collar dropped to the floor. Her head turned to the right and tilted slightly.

"Are you sure you're ready?"

"Yes," Nyri replied without hesitation.

Rei's fangs extended and her eyes turned red. With only a second's more deliberation, she spoke a few words in an ancient tongue and bit into the girl. Nyri gasped instantly upon the insertion of the fangs and moaned in mixed pain and pleasure as her blood was drained from her.

The moment the girl's blood reached Rei's stomach, the visions came unbidden…

She watched as Nyri was doted upon…

Watched her attend her alchemy classes…

Watched as Nyri was taken by Thane for the first time…

Watched as the first soul fusing ritual was performed on her…

Saw an unusual crucible with necromantic styling on an altar in a dark place…

Saw members of another Coven sacrificed before a pit of flame…

Then the images were interrupted as she felt Nyri's slender arms encircle her, grasping lightly at her shoulder blades as her breathing became slower.

Rei finally let her mouth go as the girl gasped gain. She laid her head upon Rei's bosom as the last drops of her blood leaked out of her neck and onto Rei herself. As she started to collapse, Rei let her down easy so that she was lying in her lap.

"Thank… you…" Nyri's small voice whispered as her eyes closed and her body turned cold.

Rei watched as her chest fell with her last exhalation and she was at last, still. Unable to stop herself, her tears came again.

Being careful not to get any of her blood in the girl's mouth, she held the body close and continued crying, unable to stop herself. In the end, Rei had lived her misery and ended it at the same time.

"She was just like me…" she whispered as she laid Nyri's body down, crossing her arms over her chest. "She could have been my sister."

That thought only caused Rei to cry harder. She let the tears flow, not even bothering to resist. Finally, after nearly three minutes of this, her head rose up, her crimson eyes glowing with both anger and renewed purpose.

"Thane… I'm coming for you…"

* * *

**End of Chapter 14**

* * *

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est, _

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_

* * *

**A/N:** A bit of a tear jerking chapter but a necessary one. The next sub plot is starting to get underway.

**nobodyreallyimportant: **I'm glad I delivered to your liking. The next set of chapters is likely to get even worse so hold on to your butt.

**gunman: **You might be my number one fan on this fic now. I'm honestly still debating on what or if Misato will have power of her own. Kaji being a mage only fits in this heavily altered universe, Ritsuko a scientist that never really believed in magic, they all have their places. But Misato is still the odd one out. Well… her rude awakening as to the true nature of the world is coming… next chapter.

**Belthasar: **Well by the way that was typed out, I can tell you have problems and misgivings… I said it before and I'll say it again. We can't stop here, this is crackfic territory. But… if that's not the reason, by all means voice your opinion.

**Additional Note:** Part of the conversation at the end of Chapter 13 has to be revised due to a continuity error of somewhat epic proportions. I'll try to get that fix done before Chapter 15 drops. PM me if your curious as to what was wrong.

Thank you again for reading and reviewing this piece of fiction. See you next chapter.


	15. Descent Into Darkness, Part I

**XV: Descent Into Darkness, Part I: The Picture Begins to Take Shape**

* * *

_It's been a hell of a day…_

_They say that revenge is a dish best served cold. For the past two months, I've had plenty of time to determine how best to seal my vengeance against Thane. As it stood, it was not going to be easy at all. The Black Rose Coven was better protected than anything I'd ever tried to beak into before. Their headquarters was in Vero Manor located in the Transylvanian Alps close to the Upper Carpathian Highlands. I had to do a lot of research to get that far, but the information granted by the Blood Memory Ritual was invaluable._

* * *

**Two Months Ago**

* * *

Rei had finally arrived home to be greeted at the front door by Shinji. He could tell just by looking at her that she'd been crying, despite the lack of bloodstained tear tracks.

"She's dead isn't she?" he asked evenly. Shinji had no idea as to the level in which Rei had bonded with the then nameless captive from Black Rose, but the sheer level of emotion coming off of her now told him things got pretty bad.

"She… was being used," Rei said in a somber voice. "Thane violated her body and her soul."

"Thane? Why does that name sound familiar… wait… of course, from mom's memories… he's head of the Black Rose Coven isn't he?"

Rei nodded. "He used a Soul Fusing ritual along with knowledge of necromancy to drain Nyri's spirit over time. The process was killing her.

"I see… she was a clone of Mother wasn't she."

Rei didn't respond. Shinji turned from her and began a slow walk down the short entryway before lashing out at a statuette on the mantle place throwing it across the room with enough force to shatter it apart.

"My Father violates mom genes to create the Dummy Plug, and Thane did it too. But why?"

"He wanted to create the perfect Shadow Mage… recreate your mother because of her power."

"I see." Shinji was fuming but he was getting it under control. "It's always about power with them… they can never see beyond their own ambitions."

"Shinji-kun, now is not the time to do anything rash."

Shinji released a ragged breath. "I know Rei-chan," he replied in a calmer voice. "It just seems like the list of people being destroyed by rogue organizations or trying to turn the world against itself is getting longer by the day. Where does it end?" Shinji spoke a few words as the statuette rebuilt itself upon the very mantle it was torn from.

"I wish I knew…"

_Shortly after that incident, we were attacked by the 11th Angel… Iruel. It was the most in opportune time in history. As the three of us awaited extraction from Lake Ashi, it gave me time to think about what I saw in Nyri's mind as I drained her blood. The blood memories were a part of my memories now, even if the experiences were not my own. I knew the location of their fortress… I knew that many mages and warriors guarded their ancestral home… and I knew they were sacrificing Mages from other covens, adding their ashes to that odd crucible._

_Necromantic runes…_

_I poured though the books I received from Kenjiro the moment we returned to the apartment and I found what I was looking for. I matched the Necromantic runes from my memory to the picture and description in the book… I couldn't believe it…_

* * *

**5 Weeks Ago, Katsuragi Apartment**

* * *

"Shinji-kun! I found it!"

Shinji walked into the room dressed in his normal school pants, but lacked his shirt. Rei really didn't mind that at all.

"Not so loud Rei-chan!" Shinji scolded. "Misato-san only fell asleep an hour ago.

"Oh, sorry," she replied. "I found the object that's been bothering me the past couple of days."

"That odd crucible?"

"You won't believe what it is… The Crucible of Souls!"

"The WHAT?" Shinji tried to keep his voice down. "They have THAT in their possession?"

"No doubt about it," Rei replied. "It's there."

"How long have they had it for?"

"According to Nyri's memories, a very long time. Thane mentioned it'd been within the Coven since he took control of it 100 years ago. But they don't just have it… they're using it."

"No… they can't…"

"They can and they have been," Rei retorted. "Rival Mages are being sacrificed in a hell pit, their ashes added to the collection within the crucible's endless well. Nyri knows the inner most circle of the Black Rose Coven, known as the Circle of Thorns are all linked to the crucible… this allows them to tap into the endless reserves of power within it for their own spells and attacks."

"Are they mad? Anyone linked to the crucible has their soul taken by it upon their death. There's no escape from this fate! They're forever trapped…."

"Trapped until utilized, but the souls always return… I know the legend Shinji-kun, I've read enough Necromancy tomes to know it by heart now."

_What we couldn't figure out was why it was so damned important. Sure the use of a dark artifact like the crucible was an evil act and needed to be handled, but it wasn't until recently that the true depth of this came to the surface. About 3 weeks ago, I met with the leader of the Midnight Order._

* * *

**Three Weeks Ago, Atop Tokyo-3 Tower**

* * *

Rei waited patiently for the arrival of Professor Van Helsing. There weren't too many more secluded places then the top of one of the largest buildings in Tokyo-3. She just hoped this wouldn't end badly. She wasn't certain just how much Van Helsing trusted her. The sudden sound of clicking told her just how much.

Rei turned around towards the center of the building. There were five order agents there with Helsing, all armed with crossbows aimed at her, except Helsing himself.

"I figured you didn't trust me," Rei said in a low voice.

"You've murdered many of your own kin," he replied. "That kind of activity we normally reserve for ourselves once we've determined that the need is there. For someone who kills so recklessly, it was surprising to find out you wanted to see me after all."

"But we both know that's not the only reason you distrust me," she replied.

Helsing smiled ever so slightly. "What makes you say that?"

"Because a man like you is likely investigating NERV itself, which means you probably know a bit about me." Rei's voice took a lower turn. "Which means you probably know my true purpose."

"Ah," he replied. "Now we're getting to heart of things. You are quite intelligent Rei to have pieced this together."

"Not really, anyone could have figured that part out already. But I know now that Maya is a member of your order, and I've been giving her bits and pieces… enough to get this meeting put together. I knew you'd probably want to kill me knowing my purpose, but it was a risk that needed to be taken, because I found something your researchers likely did not."

"And what's that?"

Rei responded by throwing a scroll at Helsing. He snatched it out of the air and watched her carefully as he unrolled it. Then he looked down to read it. His eyes took an interested turn as he did.

"How did you know I'd be interested in this?"

"Because by now, you've met with Thane. He's asked you to come after me, probably to retrieve Nyri from me."

"And where is she?"

"Dead. She died the night I found her. Thane was using a soul fusing ritual to extend his life unnaturally and she was being used for it."

That information shocked Van Helsing. "I knew the old man was doing something to sustain his existence… but that… It is quite an accusation. What prove do you have?"

"Unfortunately, the proof died with her. She asked me to perform the Blood Memory Ritual on her and end her life. She had so little time left and she didn't want to suffer anymore. Nyri wants me to bring Thane down."

"I see. Difficult for us to act on it without proof. You've put me on the spot, but Rei, so I have to ask… why are you giving me this scroll?"

"Because if you need some kind of proof of Thanes wrong doing, you might be interested to know that not only does the Black Rose Coven have possession of The Crucible, but that they are using it."

"What?" Van Helsing could barely contain his outrage.

"That I received from Nyri's memories. It's possible that Yui Ikari knew of this as well. You see that scroll was found in a hidden compartment in what used to be her closet at one of her old residences. I doubt she would have condoned such behavior."

Van Helsing considered her words. "No, she wouldn't. But it'd interst you to know that someone out there wants that crucible."

"Who?"

"Korgan."

That surprised Rei to hear. "What the hell does he want with it?"

"I think he might be planning a ceremony of his own. We know he knows what SEELE is up to. At this point I think the Shadow Council is trying to hijack it for themselves but we don't know how or to what end yet."

"So this information was worth something, as I suspected."

Van Helsing knew what she was implying. "What do you want?"

"I want to be free of this. I want to see NERV ended, Thane killed, and the Steel Jaw Tribe brought to justice. I want to see the Black Rose Coven brought low and the crucible destroyed. I want to see the Shadow Council destroyed or at least stopped."

"You realize we have neither the power nor the evidence to act on any of those requests. We have your word on Nyri's memory since there is no way short of killing you to prove that. We're dealing with the situation with the Steel Jaw Tribe but that's about the best we have now."

"Then I'll get the evidence you require." Rei said as she hopped backwards on the ledge. She heard the agents cock the loaders on all of the crossbows in preparation to fire.

"You can't, I have to take you in for your own crimes. Just leave the rest to us. Your assistance will grant you at least some leniency."

"I know you're only doing your job, but I can't comply with that request."

"Rei, listen to me! Gendo can't enact his plan if you're protected!"

"So… you know that much. You can't protect me… no one can except Shinji-kun. It won't end even if I'm dead… I can be replaced."

Before Van Helsing could rebuttle, Rei held her arms out as if mocking the crucifix and then fell backwards off the building.

"No!" he yelled as he ran for the edge. He looked over in time to see her falling towards street level. Halfway down her fall, her body turned black and discorporated in a burst of darkness forming into a swarm of bats that quickly flew away.

Two of Van Helsing's men ran to his sides and witnessed this. "That's impossible! Only the oldest and most powerful vampires can transform like that!"

"Rei is not an ordinary vampire…."

* * *

**Present**

* * *

_That brings us to our current dilemma. The elevator is out, I can tell because the doors I just pried opened led to an open elevator shaft. The sounds of men and their guns fill my hearing as I turn towards them. Gendo is with them, and I can hear him yelling orders. Damn that Shadow Dancer… if he hadn't attacked her in NERV I wouldn't be in this situation. With it still being daytime I can't do the same trick I did with Helsing right now. This sucks…_

"Shoot… to kill," Gendo ordered. All at once the sound of gunfire filled the hallway as the bullets tore though Rei's body, quickly shredding her school uniform, and her flesh beneath it. She started to fall back as the hail continued and a few bullets tore though her neck simultaneously. A look of shock came over her face as she fell back and her head came loose of the rest of her body. Gendo watched as her body began to fall and turn to dust as it fell. The look on her face before her head dusted displayed an expression of betrayal, and the question mouthed… why?

_Like I said… this has been a hell of a day…_

* * *

**One Hour Ago**

* * *

The Chamber of Gaf was one of a few places Gendo began to feel more and more uneasy about. He knew this was necessary to his plans, but lately… and he didn't understand it at all. There was no reason for it. He'd never felt this way before, not even remotely.

"As of now, we're on schedule."

Gendo wrenched his attention away from the giggling clones to Ritusko Akagi who had just finished her recap of the situation with the dummy plug system.

"Excellent," he replied. "I trust you have back ups in place just in case. We can't bank on this completely."

"Well the conversion was easy enough," she replied, "but converting the back up routines in the computer and the MAGI are going to take more time."

"No delays, we can't afford any."

"I know, don't worry."

The two of them left together as the conversation became more technical. As the doors closed, the clones instantly stopped giggling at once and stared menacingly in the direction Gendo left with glowing red eyes.

* * *

**Upper Command Terrace, 1 Hour Later**

* * *

Misato was drinking coffee in one of the break rooms near the command center and looking over the information she received.

"Vampires… are you kidding me," she said under her breath. She put he coffee cup down, and a moment later it shattered spraying coffee everywhere. She jumped back seeing that now a smooth throwing knife was sticking out of the table exactly where the cup was. Facing the direction it appeared to have come from, her gun came out and pointed at the offending party.

"Good evening Major Katsuragi," the man said.

He was huge by Misato's perspective. He stood over 6 feet tall and wore what appeared to be some kind of skin hugging outfit of leather with many bandoliers loaded with throwing blades. His gloves were armored gauntlets of light plate and studs. His face was pale and his eyes were redder than Rei's. His smile betrayed pointed canines.

"What the hell?" Misato said as her gun started shaking in her hand. _He's a vampire… I'm staring at a real life fucking vampire! This is nuts, I've got to be dreaming…_

"You've been snooping around in places that don't concern you. Unfortunately, you must now die for that."

As he stepped forward, Misato opened fire, watching with mute horror as he simply dodged each bullet without effort. Suddenly he struck, nailing her in the face with one of his armed gauntlets. Her head whipped around along with the rest of her and she fell to the floor. Blood trailed down her face where he struck her, the bones in her cheek were shattered.

"I won't drag this out," he said as he approached her, drawing a Ninja-to from his back. "You're not worth the time anyway."

He brought up the blade ready to slash down and end her, when suddenly he was slammed into and throw into the table. Misato looked in surprise to see Rei standing over her in her school uniform.

"I thought I was the one you were after," she hissed. Misato could have sworn her eyes flashed like they had an inner light when she said that.

"You!" the Shadow Dancer exclaimned as he got back up. "Oh I was hoping for this. You aren't my primary target, but I'm sure Korgan will be pleased. I'll be able to score points with two of the councilors simultaneously."

"Korgan didn't send you to kill Misato?"

She didn't get an answer, he attacked her full tilt with his fists after putting his sword back. Rei however, was faster than he was expecting, dodging the attacks and delivering strikes of her own. Soon he was kicked from the room. Rei turned towards Misato with her eyes still alight.

"If you can run, do it! This guy will destroy you if you don't escape."

Unable to effectively talk, she quickly scrambled up to her feet and out the opposite door, her mind screaming at her at the impossibility of it all.

The Shadow Dancer tried to get back into the room but Rei jumped him before he could get out. She was thrown off and slammed with a double fisted back hand. Despite the pain, Rei continued her assault.

_He's as strong as the first one that attacked me… but I've gotten so much better since then._

He continued to attack at full speed, but Rei was faster, blocking all but the least damaging strikes before finally kicking him over. Before he could get up she jumped on him trying to pin him down. But her smaller size was a disadvantage. He pulled two of his throwing blades and stabbed them into her hips causing her blood to run profusely.

Rei hissed her displeasure as he brought her arms down in chopping motions against his collar bone on either side, biting back the pain. Instantly both sets of bones shattered causing him to drop his grip on the blades. Rei felt a burning sensation coming from the blades but ignored it. Her fangs came out as she spoke a few mystical words and then she latched onto his neck. He shrieked in pain as his blood ran into her like a torrent. The blood filling her and spurring her regeneration on. Once he was fully drained and shriveled dry, she grabbed the two blades in her hips and ripped them out. The hilts burned in her hands but she ignored the pain long enough to use them to take her attacker's head off.

At that moment, Gendo was watching the security footage of the fight. Section-2 had altered him about it and when he turned on the footage he finally understood what it was about her that was making him uncomfortable.

"Ritsuko should have been able to tell," he said out loud to his old mentor. "Have her arrested. Section-2."

"Yes sir," came a voice over the speaker.

"Get Rei. Alert security as well, I don't want her escaping."

"Understood."

"What about the scenario?" Fuyutsuki asked.

"I'm betting that since Rei is already technically dead, awakening another clone will correct the situation. I'll prepare a memory download from just shy of a year ago, after the first activation test. It will set us back a good deal, but that can be compensated for. Having an undead as the key will never work and you know it."

Kōzō nodded in silence.

Rei stood up, trying to brush off the dust on her inner thighs. "I bet my panties are ruined," she mused. Suddenly the alarm went off. Rei looked behind her and saw a camera pointed right at her.

"Fuck me sideways," she whispered and started to run. As she left the main break area, the sound of gunfire caught her ear. She dodged the shots and ran a different way. "I can understand wanting to capture me, but he's trying to straight up kill me! I didn't think I'd be doing this today."

She tried the stairs only to find that the doors were all deadlocked. "Shit." She dodged more gunfire as she ran down one of the main halls, flipped over guards and continued running. Killing them wouldn't help her situation at all. She needed to get away and figure out if there was a way out of this. Maybe she could reason with the Commander. Unlikely, but her sisters in the well were not ready yet. They were changed true, but they'd never be able to hold her power in their present condition. They simply weren't ready. She had to escape if she were to have any chance at all.

Finally she reached the main elevator. She hit the button and the doors wouldn't open despite the indicator saying it was on this floor.

"Come on God damn it!" Her vampiric claws, never used before due to them making he feel like an untamed animal when she pulled them out, dug into the doors and wrenched them apart.

She knew then that the elevator was out… there was no car, just an empty shaft. The lack of cables told her it was somewhere above her.

"I'm fucked…" she whispered as she hard the men lining up and locking their weapons. She turned around, her school uniform flowing up slightly as she twirled. Behind the line of me she saw Gendo walking up.

_I guess if I want to try reasoning with him, now would be the…_

"Shoot… to kill," he ordered.

* * *

**Later**

* * *

Gendo stood before the central cylinder of the machine in the Chamber of Gaf. As he finished the memory upload a clone was loaded into the cylinder. As he continued to work, he didn't notice that several of the clones around him were paying very close attention to his actions.

The clone awakens with its heart beating. All bodily functions read in the green.

Gendo opened the cylinder and the newly hatched clone stepped out.

"Commander," she said as if waiting for instructions.

"Rei. How do you feel?"

"I am well Sir," She replied.

With that, Gendo was satisfied. What he wasn't satisfied with was the sudden angel alarm.

"Rei, get dressed and get ready for combat."

"Yes sir," she replied in deadpan and immediately retrieved the school uniform waiting for her on the table.

* * *

**20 Minutes Later**

* * *

Silently above Tokyo-3 a zebra stripped sphere hung in midair for all to see. Shinji looked up at this thing from cover as he held his EVA sized pistol close.

"Eva-00 in position," Rei deadpanned over the com.

"What's with Wondergirl," Asuka asked Shinji over a private channel. "She's competently deadpan, like she's turned into a doll or something."

"Don't worry about it Asuka," Shinji replied immediately, looking a little mad. "Don't worry about it at all. Concentrate on the angel."

Suddenly the ground beneath Shinji turned black and his EVA began to sink.

"Oh shit," Shinji fired down. "Asuka! Rei! Get to higher ground now!"

They both complied as Shinji fought against the shadow and failed.

"Damn it!" Asuka yelled as her unit almost got pulled in as well. "Wondergirl do something!"

"There is no one on the team by that name." Rei deadpanned.

"The fuck are you talking about! You're wondergirl!"

"I am pilot Ayanami," she replied.

"Well pilot, do something! He's your boyfriend isn't he?"

"Pilot Soryu, I could not have relations with an individual I just met."

"What?" Asuka was beyond confused. It was like Rei had been replaced with someone else entirely, same voice, same face, same everything.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, you Gott verdammt doll!"

Rei's brow furled ever so slightly. "I am not a doll. And I am unable to assist Pilot Ikari."

Moments later, Shinji was in total darkness. Thinking quickly he shut down the main battery and put the EVA in minimal power mode.

"That should buy me some time," Shinji said to himself. "It's going to get uncomfortable real soon in here though." He began to feel the energy around him.

_Correspondence… My knowledge granted to me by mother will hopefully be enough here._

Shinji made sure the internal recording systems were all off, utilizing a small amount of Entropy Magic to ensure they failed. Concentrating, his eyes rolled over black and his aura began to expand, filling the room with darkness. He knew the space he was in was basically a non-space, infinite in volume but very finite in actual size, so the trick was to turn it in upon itself.

He strained as forces within this area of Correspondence fought back with a vengeance. His spell collapsed completely and left him gasping as his aura faded out.

"Damn… this is too much even for me."

"_**But I felt it,"**_a voice came back_._

_What the…_

Upon his console a black mist coalesced. It formed into a beautiful naked girl appearing to be around his age, with perfectly formed breasts and hips, a shape to die for, long legs, and very long luxurious and lustrous black hair that flowed behind her. Shinji knew her hair was nearly as long as she was tall by its appearance. He couldn't help but allow his eyes to roam over her perfect body from the natural part in her hair, to her pink areolas, all the way to her hairless slit and the perfect, flawless skin on her legs. Nothing was out of place… in fact, she was too perfect.

Shinji's eyes met hers as she smiled sweetly. Her crimson eyes the only hint that she was a projection of the angel itself.

"_**Hello Shinji," **_she said. _**"I'm about to make your day…"**_

* * *

**To Be Continued….**

* * *

**A/N:** Did I really just kill off the main character?

**gunman:** If Rei was more skilled with the power of Necromancy, she could have, but she hasn't had enough skill with that yet. There are other forces that would complicate a procedure like that, but you may get to see more of that explained in story later. Don't know yet.

**nobodyreallyimporant:** To bad… bombs away!

**Cyber-Undead:** Lots of possibilities indeed and I have yet to choose any of them only because I have enough out there as it is. I do feel bad about leaving Misato out of so much of this story. And this chapter, she got owned by a Shadow Dancer and saved by Rei who blew her cover to save her life. Not her best day.

Thanks again for reading my drivel. See you very soon, Part 2 is being written now.


	16. Descent into Darkness, Part II

**A/N: Warning:** Sexual content of both the straight and yuri varieties. But who doesn't love a bit of girl on girl?

* * *

**XVI: Descent Into Darkness, Part II: Dark Unions**

* * *

"Shoot… to kill," Gendo Ordered

At that moment Rei felt a heat against her chest, and instantly knew what it was.

_Jump_

As she fell back she saw that she left an image of herself left behind and that image was becoming riddled with bullets. As the darkness closed about her, she saw the walls of the elevator shaft whip past her at ever increasing speeds as she accelerated 32 feet (about nine and three-quarter meters) per second. Already the image of herself turning to dust was beyond her field of view as she concentrated now on how to stop her descent through the darkness.

Suddenly a section of the shaft ahead seemed like it was collapsed in. She tried to steer herself away from it but hit her left shoulder against it hard. At this speed and with that much force, she knew that the damage would be severe, but instead she felt a throbbing she couldn't identify.

Finally she hit the bottom and it hurt but she survived the fall easily. About 3 feet from her, she saw her left arm land and turn to dust, finally understanding what the throb was. She shoved her right hand into her mouth to keep from screaming in pain as she forced herself up into a kneeling position. Her blood stopped running from the now severed shoulder and sealed as dust and ash fell instead, the pain subsiding seconds later.

_Beats losing my head I guess._

Her arm started to regenerate but stopped before it could form little more than a stump.

_I need blood… now. _

She looked around herself. She knew that the stone Shinji gave her had enough power for one more magical effect, and decided a teleport back to her hideout was in order. Before doing so she took all of her remaining cloths off and dredged the insides of everything though the pile of dust left by her lost arm. Turning the cloths inside out to do so, then right side in again with only one hand proved somewhat difficult but she pulled it off with a bit of patience.

_Now to get out of here before the goon squad finds the evidence I left of my demise. I have to admit, I didn't count on having actual ash to fake this with, but this works._

She took the stone around her neck in her one remaining hand and concentrated on her desire. The stone warmed up again and she felt herself being wrenched though space and dropped in the middle of her hideout.

"Ow," she said softly as she got to her feet. Walking to the working refrigerator she took out a beaker full of blood she saved and put it in her microwave long enough to warm it up. Then she drank it down in one go.

As her fangs extended and she caught her breath, her arm resumed its regeneration, forming in a mater of seconds.

Rei held it up, wiggled her fingers, and moved the arm around until she was satisfied. She then proceeded to get dressed in a spare outfit.

As she sat down on her one chair and tried to relax, her mind was pinged as one of her sisters was being pulled from the well. Rei closed her eyes and saw though the eyes of her sister.

"_Commander," the clone had said._

"_Rei, how do you feel?"_

"_I am well sir," she replied._

_She's playing the part well, as expected, Rei thought_

Then the angel alarm sounded.

"God damn it. Of all the times…"

_I'll handle it don't worry._

_Make sure you stay deadpan, use only the information he gave you otherwise you'll blow your cover._

_I know, I know, don't worry._

Rei severed her connection to the clone as she started drifting off. The battle, the regeneration and now this… she was so tired….

* * *

**The Sea of Dirac**

* * *

Shinji stared at the manifestation before him and said the only thing that came to mind.

"Um, before we go anywhere with this, I should probably mention that I'm taken."

The girl sitting naked on his console chuckled. _**"You know she did cheat on you," **_she said in rebuttal. _**"Besides…" **_ Her left leg raised and came down between the control yokes. "_**…your mind may be saying no, but your body has other ideas."**_To support her point, her foot came down to Shinji's crotch and she lightly dragged the top of her foot across what she found there. Little Shinji was most certainly at attention, painfully so. The sound Shinji tried in vain to stifle made her chuckle seductively.

"Natural reaction to seeing something as beautiful as you," Shinji replied. "Some things even I can't control."

"_**Well, we might be able to change that."**_ She ran her foot along the outside of his thigh as her other leg raised up and came down between the yokes as well settling next to his other leg. All she'd have to do now was boost herself off the console and she'd be straddling him.

_God this hurts. _He thought as his erection continued to throb in its very limited confines.

"What do you mean?"

"_**You are a strong Shadow Mage,"**_she explained, _**"but how would you like to be even stronger?"**_

"I'd like that… but I'd rather piss glass than accept gifts from an angel. No offense, but there's always a catch."

"_**Well… you would be getting me out of here."**_

"Out of here? This whole area is you isn't it?"

"_**It's my form yes, but it's also a prison to me. Let me use you to escape this prison form, and I'll show you the true depths of your power."**_ To point that out she waved a hand creating an area of darkness next to him where he could see a twisted reflection of Tokyo-3 set in permanent near darkness, with deep dark hues over everything. It was as if the entire world was comprised of shadows.

"The Shadow Realm…" Shinji said in awe, not paying attention to the fact that the manifestation of Leliel was sliding off the console and onto his lap.

"_**With what I can show you, you'll be able to tap directly into its essence… claim its deeper secrets for yourself.**_

The feeling of her nails caressing his cheek broke him from his trance. He now realized that she was pressing her pelvic region over his, and fully straddling him now.

_She knows how to make me feel awkward that's for sure. God, she makes a man want to sin._

"You little succubus," he whispered. "You know I won't help you no matter how much you tempt me with your body or your promises of power. There is nothing you can say that will make me change my mind."

She simply smiled at him. _**"Really? Remember your meeting with the Black Rose Coven? That didn't go very well did it."**_

"So?"

"_**That's not the start of it. The Shadow Council is still trying to kill your beloved. Then there are the werewolves, even the Midnight Order. They already tried to capture her, I bet you didn't know that."**_

"The hell are you talking about?"

She waved her hand to his left. When he looked in that direction he saw an image of Rei on the rooftop with Van Helsing, and his men were pointing weapons at her that could kill her.

"_**Vamp Hunters… Maya's companions…" **_

"Bastards," Shinji whispered. "Rei never told me about this part."

"_**Your love didn't want to worry you I'd wager. The Midnight Order knows how to deal with rogue mages and vampires. You know you're starting to look like a threat to them, and they're trained in dealing with mages. How long do you think, even with your gifts, that you'd be able to protect the woman you love?"**_

She was right, he realized. He was powerful, but he needed more if he was going against those kinds of odds.

He felt his suit hiss as it was depressurized. Instantly the tightness over his crotch released which was a blessing. "Little Shinji" really wasn't so little.

"_**Become one with me, and that power will be yours. You will never again have to worry if Rei-chan is safe, you'll have the power to end the Black Rose Coven, avenge Rei's friend Kyri, then take the battle directly to the Shadow Council and SEELE, there is no end to what you we can do together."**_

Shinji still wanted to resist, but the temptation was too great. He felt himself beings stripped of his plugsuit but was lost in the eyes of the angel.

"_**Through this act, we will become as one. My power will be yours to command, and all my knowledge will be at your disposal."**_

"Mother…"

"_**She is hiding within the core, she can't help you. She's already taught you everything she can… it's my turn."**_

Without ceremony, Leliel impaled herself upon Shinji the moment his plugsuit was off. He instantly became aware of the feeling as his arms encircled her.

_I don't want to become one with her. I want to become one with Rei!_

Slowly she began to bounce up and down, intensifying the feeling building within him.

_This is wrong…_

Desire…

Power…

Lust…

Guilt…

Betrayal…

Comfortable...

Whole…

Leliel's nipples stiffened as she took Shinji's head and aimed it at her left breast. He complied without further coaxing, running on raw instinctive lust.

_This isn't love._

He sucked hard on the nipple bring Leliel to greater heights of elation.

_This is animal lust… nothing more…_

The grinding against each other became more pronounced as Shinji panted hard. The sounds Leliel was making told him she was already close to orgasm.

_Rei did this once… so it's okay right? She'll forgive me… but will I ever be able to forgive myself…can't I just stay here?_

Finally the power of it all exploded within him. The came together as their auras erupted, their energies cycled within each other making them whole. It was a feeling Shinji knew could only be shared by two who commanded magic.

As Shinji tried to recover, she felt Leliel phasing into him but didn't see it. When he opened his eyes, they rolled over black. With a snap of his fingers, his plugsuit was back on and sealed.

"_**Now, release us from this prison of angelic flesh and non-space."**_

"No problem," He replied as he focused his aura outwards to turn the Sea of Dirac in on itself. This time, as much as the Correspondence energies tried to fight him, they broke easily under his power.

* * *

**Outside**

* * *

Asuka and Rei III finally reached the outside edge of the shadow just as it started shuddering in mid air. Rei III was just about to contact her sister to break the news to her when this started happening. The shadows over Tokyo-3 rolled like an angry sea and began splitting apart, showing blood red beneath it. The sphere shuddered briefly and then exploded into massive burst of blood. For a moment EVA 01 could be seen floating in mid air at the point of detonation before gravity reasserted itself and it fell to the ground, landing on one knee.

"Shinji!" Asuka yelled over the com system.

"Sorry to keep you girls waiting," he said as his face appeared on the intercom, his eyes already back to normal. "Took me a little bit to figure out how to kill the thing from the inside out."

"Pilot Ikari, report!" Gendo commanded.

"No damage to report except the severed power cable. I found the core and destroyed it. I was in some kind of weird all white colored sea of some kind. Not much else to say."

"Very well, return at once, all of you."

"On route," Asuka replied.

"I-fermative," Shinji replied.

"Acknowledged," Rei III replied.

* * *

**One Hour Later  
**

* * *

In the hallway between the locker rooms, there was a security camera. This camera had the unfortunate problem of never actually working. Of course no one knew that the reason it never worked was because of the forces of the Sphere of Entropy. Shinji was getting better with his magic all the time, and this use of his power was actually quite vital. It made for the prefect place to talk while in NERV without being overheard.

"Wondergirl, what the Gott dammt ficken is wrong with you?"

"She's a clone Asuka," Shinji replied first. "And she's playing her part well."

"What?" Asuka asked in surprise.

"It's true," Rei III said, now sounding more like the Rei she knew. "Thanks to the gift Shinji gave Rei, she managed to survive the incident. None of the clones are ready for her full soul yet. She's become far to powerful for any of us to contain and survive."

"Incident?"

"Gendo had Rei killed," Shinji said with obvious anger in his voice. "Or rather, he tried to. Misato-san was attacked in NERV by a Shadow Dancer."

"Mein Gott! Is Misato okay?"

"She'll recover," Rei III replied. "But unfortunately the entire fight was caught on camera. Had the battle stayed in the break room, no one would have been the wiser. That camera doesn't work in there. But the battle spilled out into the main hall and Section-2 saw everything."

"Damn…" Asuka whispered. "So you're one of the Dummy Plug clones then?"

"Yes, I am Rei III."

"Three?"

"Our Rei," Shinji began to explain, "is actually Rei II. Her original incarnation was murdered by Ritsuko's Mother about 10 years ago. I thought you knew all this."

"That part I didn't know," she replied. "Must be nice having the ability to reincarnate yourself."

"Don't sound so smug," Rei III snapped as she leaned against the wall. "Dying is no picnic."

"I bet Shinji-kun couldn't be happier with two of you around," Asuka teased.

"Oh jeeze will you knock it off Asuka!" Shinji replied. "I won't do that with another copy, unless she effectively was the original."

"You know," Rei III replied, "Technically…."

"Not helping!"

Both Rei III and Asuka got a laugh out of that.

"What's our next move?" Asuka asked.

"We know now that my bastard of a father is getting closer to finding out about all of us," Shinji said. "We need to stay low for the time being, until this blows over."

"I hate being idle."

"So do I Asuka, so do I."

* * *

**Later, Maya's Residence**

* * *

Normally, Maya Ibuki was able to control her momentum on her own accord. But this time, not so much.

She felt as if she were slammed into the wall which took her breath away momentarily, before her attack, Ritsuko pinned her there and shoved her tongue into the smaller girl's mouth. Lost in passion, Maya didn't, even register if she damaged the wall, hurt her back or lost a picture. She instead returned the tongue play while fighting back just enough to push her body into Ritusko's. Maya was actually much stronger than Ritsuko thanks to her training and conversion but she like the feeling of being dominated by her Sempai.

Within seconds her shirt was stripped off as Ritsuko resumed the kiss, tugging desperately at the buttons on her blouse. Maya pushed her hands away, deciding to take the upper hand for the moment and simply ripped the shirt open. Several buttons flew off in random directions, but neither woman was paying attention. Ritsuko's bra was next to go as Maya broke the kiss. Before Ritsuko could say anything Maya had already clamped her mount at the focal point of one of her most sensitive erogenous zones. Ritsuko had kept that secret since Gendo was never much of a breast man himself. Maya however with her small size and limited assets of her own most certainly was.

The gasp that left Ritsuko's mouth spurred Maya on as she whipped her tongue around the areola and flicked the nipple lightly. That action was driving Ritusko crazy with lust, and she barely made out the feeling of her young tech turned vampire hunter running a hand up her thigh to her ass, to the hem of her panties to rip them down. The sheer force of this was pushing her back and Maya was careful to steer her onto her couch. As soon as she fell back into the sitting position, Maya tore off her own top and bra before dropping to her knees and pulling the older woman's skirt up.

Ritsuko spread her legs as Maya dove in. The tech wasted no time assaulting the slit and Ritusko's already prominent clit, eliciting sounds the she always wanted to hear from her Sempai. It turned her on all the more at the realization that she was finally getting to do this to her, to drive her crazy with love and lust, and take her to places no man could. Her tongue ran the entire length as the lips of Ritsuko's flower puffed with blood and opened for her. Despite the girl being close to 10 years older than her, she tasted young to Maya, like someone who was doing this for the first time.

"Gods Maya!" Ristuko gasped between moans as her sex was assaulted so thoroughly. Gendo would never do this for her, despite the number of times she did it to him. To be treated like this now made her feel special. Maya would do anything to please her, but she knew she'd never take advantage of that, because she truly did love her.

Maya managed to strip naked even will administering cunnilingus to her Sempai. When she stopped and stood up Ritsuko got to take her all in finally.

The clothing she wore did a lot to hide Maya's true charms. She wasn't nearly as boyish as she dressed. She had a nice shape, small but well defined, matching all of her other assets in such a way that she didn't look awkward. What she did look like however was something that made Ritsuko leak even more at the realization of… forbidden fruit. Maya was in her twenties, but with no clothes on and virtually no pubic hair at all, she looked no older than the pilots.

Maya began to straddle the doctor but raised Ritsuko's Left leg up over Maya's hip, allowing the sensitive places to touch. Ritsuko immediately know what Maya wanted and complied pulling the girl in the rest of the way and kissing her as they began to rub their bodies together. Between their kisses came cries and moans of pleasure. They each used one hand to hold on to each other and the other to squeeze each others breasts, and flick their nipples. It didn't take long before both girls sounded as if they were about ready to orgasm.

Ritsuko understood now why Maya wanted to go down on her first. Maya was so horny that she knew it wouldn't take much to set her off, and she really wanted their first orgasm to be together. Ritusko felt the waves of heat from the point of their joining and felt her internal muscles begin to spasm. Maya was close but not close enough, so she did the only thing she could think to do.

Ritusko broke the kiss and clamped her limps down on Maya's ear. She heard Maya cry out as the ground together one last time hard and came as one. Goosebumps errputed all over both Ritsuko and Maya, but the doctor couldn't remember the last time an orgasm did that to her. It was so powerful it took all of her energy just go keep Maya from falling back and pulled her forward.

Gasping for air, both girls held that position as their sweat and juices mingled. A moment later they readjusted their legs so that Maya was sitting on Ritsuko's lap facing her. They soon returned to kissing without a word being exchanged between them.

As time ticked by, they eventually moved to the bedroom where their lovemaking continued. This time Ritsuko took the upper hand and decided to pleasure Maya the way she herself was. Maya's small body moved quite a bit as Ritsuko literally fucked her with her tongue, refusing to stop until Maya came. Although Maya did try to fight the urge she did eventually achieve orgasm not once but three times. By the end of the third, not only was poor Maya's voice starting to break, but she was barely conscious.

Ritsuko once again pulled herself along side Maya and held the small girl close to her. Maya's head relaxed into her Sempai's chest.

"I guess you learned… that in college too?" Maya asked weakly.

"You'd be surprised what you learn that isn't part of the curriculum," she replied in a sultry voice.

Maya's face warmed with a blush despite their activities.

"I'm just glad we didn't get interrupted this time," she continued.

"I'm actually glad we did get interrupted last time. I wanted my first time with you to be special… like this was. Getting off with you in a NERV closet wouldn't have been ideal."

Ritsuko chuckled slightly. "Sorry, I was just really horny and I wanted you so badly."

Maya smiled and nuzzled into her. "It's nice to be wanted."

* * *

**Elsewhere**

* * *

Rei woke up being kissed, which was a new thing for her. She returned it knowing who's lips those were and finally opened her eyes when they parted.

Shinji smiled back at her as her active clone stood against the way waiting patiently.

"God I'm glad to see you again," Shinji said to her.

Rei sat up. "I'm glad the stone worked, and that you had the foresight to put both illusion and teleportation into it, otherwise I might not be here. Any news on Misato?"

"Her face has been reconstructed, she won't need a cast since they used the new bone splints, but she's going to have a lot of questions."

"That's unavoidable. What was she researching?"

"She was still on the investigation behind what happened to your apartment." Shinji sighed. "Apparently she got too close."

"They'll try again, we need to protect her."

"I know."

Rei III moved from the wall to the fridge to find some blood as Rei got up and leaned on Shinji.

"She's the only one of us that isn't supernatural in some way," Shinji pointed out. "She's nearly defenseless."

"I know, but there isn't much we can do without changing her or doing something we'll regret later."

Rei stepped back out of Shinji's grasp.

"Something wrong?"

"I don't know… you feel… different somehow."

"I'm still me," Shinji pointed out.

"I know… maybe it's just the stress. It's been a hell of a day."

* * *

**NERV**

* * *

"That… shouldn't have happened," Gendo stated plainly.

He and his sub commander watched the footage again of Shinji's escape from Leliel. While he expected that Shinji would have eventually escaped due to his EVA going berserk, or would have had to use N2 mines to break him out, he never expected he would escape in less than 30 minutes.

"It is perplexing," Fuyutsuki agreed. "But the situation is done now, there is little more we can do. I'm more concerned about the way you handled the situation with Rei."

"There is nothing to talk about there."

"Oh but there is. We could have captured her, learned more about the vampires. Didn't it dawn on you that something else is going on that we aren't seeing… all these reports of The Midnight Order lurking about, Werewolves, The Shadow Council."

"The point?"

"It might not be just someone in SEELE trying to stop or hijack Instrumentality… it could be multiple agencies."

Gendo hadn't considered this. Turning Rei into a vampire would be a massive step in that direction for the Shadow Council. And if the Midnight Order knew what he was planning, that would be enough for those peacekeeping bastards to try to stop him.

"Can't you feel it Gendo?"

"I can Sensei," Gendo replied. "I can. We're in the crossfire now. We have what everyone else wants… a piece of infinity. It's time to go on the offensive. We have a lot of capital built up thanks to the last angel battles going as well as they have. Let's use it to bolster our forces. It's time to take back Tokyo-3 from the ones who would try to take what we have worked so hard for."

"You realize we're going against a lot of agencies that are far older than us."

"I am aware. In the end it won't matter. We don't have to beat them; we simply have to stall them long enough to finish what we've begun. Then, it won't matter anymore."

* * *

**Elsewhere**

* * *

In an old building on the north end of town, a dark gathering was commencing. Several dark vans were parked behind the building out of sight, the conveyances of the members of this black group. Inside the black robed wizards sharpened blades and prepared their books and scrolls for the coming war. They would wait a day or two for the rest of there numbers and then make their move.

As each member continued working on their own preparations and prayers, a picture sat near the main fire. The picture was their primary target. While at first they were ordered to kill the target, now their leader had other ideas.

"I want him alive," Thane had said. "His body and soul will fuel the hellpit and his ashes will strengthen the crucible."

And so the picture of Shinji sat for all to see as they prepared. Just trying to capture him would be a war in and of itself….

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**A/N:** So yeah, I didn't kill her…

Some of you might have remembered the pendant that Shinji gave Rei after his meeting with his mother. Now you know what its purpose was. I'll just say that it can do more…

Don't have many reviews right now so I'll save responses for next chapter. Originally, this story arch was only supposed to be three parts long, at this point it might be as many as five before it's done.

See you next chapter


	17. Descent into Darkness, Part III

**A/N:** This chapter might be a bit of a tear jerker... you have been warned

* * *

**XVII: Descent Into Darkness, Part III: The Fall**

* * *

When the report came in that there was an accident at Matsushiro, Shinji was more than a little upset. It's been five days since the meeting in the hallway between locker rooms, and Misato has recovered from her injuries. But she never got to see home as her presence was needed in Matsushiro. Now here he was, in his EVA waiting to ambush the latest angel which just so happened to make its appearance in Matsushiro, and worrying about his guardian.

* * *

**One Hour Thirty-Seven Minutes Ago**

* * *

"This is the pits," Misato complained as she looked over the data a third time. "Why do I have to be here?"

"We need you to coordinate the first activation test," Ritsuko replied as she continued her furious typing on the computer. "Besides, misery loves company."

"Yeah, I get that." With a huff, Misato sat back down with the paper gently rubbing her damaged cheek.

"Is it still bothering you?" Ristuko looked on with concern.

"A little, nothing I can't handle. I'm just lucky I didn't lose any teeth." Her eyes set on confusion again. "Rits, what the hell attacked me?"

"What makes you think I have even the…"

"Can it!" Misato snapped. "You have to know something. You always know."

Ristuko sighed. "As I understand it… it was a Shadow Dancer."

"A what?"

Ritsuko took a quick drink of her coffee and then turned to face her friend. "A Shadow Dancer… a Vampiric Assassin sent by an organization that shouldn't exist but does. Apparently they took an interest in the investigation on the arson at Rei's old Apartment Complex; probably thought you were getting too close."

"Terrific, so Vampires do exist. That was the only explanation for what I saw. But answer me this, if Rei was fighting the thing, why did Gendo order he death? She's a vampire too right? But if that's the case, how is it she's back to piloting like nothing happened?"

Risuko sighed. "That's getting into things I really shouldn't talk about…"

"Tell me," Misato said in a low and dangerous voice.

"Later. It's time to get Pilot Suzahara on board his new EVA."

"I won't forget this conversation Rits," Misato replied.

"I don't expect you too."

"So all I do is just think what I want it to do and it'll respond?" Touji asked from the com link.

"That's about the gist of it, but take it slow once we get it activated okay? Shinji's first attempt at walking was rather… ill fated." Misato's explanation seemed to scare the young pilot.

"Stop worrying him Misato," Ritsuko warned. "Let's get this under way shall we?"

"Right… beginning activation sequence."

As the checklist was worked down, Toji began to experience an odd, almost sickening feeling running though him. "This isn't like being in 01, something's wrong."

"It's okay Touji," Misato replied. "First time is always a bit dodgy."

"No seriously, I'm telling you something doesn't feel right… it feels like…." Horror suddenly overtook the boy's face as absolute borderline was reached. "… like I'm not alone."

Seconds later, the image on the screen showed what appeared to be spines of darkness ripping into Toji's body a split second before the screen went to full static.

"What the hell was that?" Misato yelled.

"Pilot's vitals are going crazy!" Ritsuko yelled as the other technicians scrambled to try to figure out what just happened. "Beta waves are critical!"

Suddenly the eyes of the EVA flashed on and its mouth restraints broke with a resounding boom. It roared as it started tearing out of the rest of its restraints.

"Berserker!" Misato yelled. "This isn't good at all! We don't have a bakelite system in place here!"

"Massive energy surge detected!" One of the technicians yelled. "Pattern Blue!"

Before Misato knew what was happening, Ritsuko pulled her out of the control room and into the stairwell. "Get down!" she yelled.

Then Misato's world exploded….

* * *

**Present**

* * *

Asuka was closest to intercept position, and she heard it long before she saw it.

"Come to mama," she whispered under her breath, ready for the kill. But then as the black shape began to rise over the hill, her confidence waned.

"It's… an EVA?" Asuka raised her rifle anyway, ready to fire. "What the hell is this?"

Suddenly it stopped and stared right at her. The piercing red eyes stared though her.

"Oh… Scheiße," she whispered as she pulled the trigger, but she hit nothing. The next thing she knew she was grabbed from behind. Somehow the monster got behind her and she never even saw it move. A chill crept up her spine at that realization but she didn't have nearly enough time to dwell upon it before she was launched head first into a nearby hillside. She felt the spine of the EVA crack and the pain paralyzed her. Unable to get the unit to move after that damage she wailed in agony instead.

Rei III was next in line and the unit took no time in disabling her, slamming her to the floor and pinning her down.

Rei cried in pain as a fluid leaked from the Black angel possessed EVA and infected the arm. Shinji immediately broke cover to deal with the offender.

"Blow the arm," Gendo ordered.

"But Rei is still synched!" Maya protested.

"Do it, we can't afford to lose the pilot."

Maya begrudgingly complied.

As Shinji watched the arm blow off and heard Rei III's cry of pain, his blood turned to fire. During combat, Rei effectively "synchronized" with Rei III to control the EVA meaning everything Rei III experienced, so did Rei… at least that's how he understood the connection. That meant that Rei is now in a lot of pain, but he didn't blame Gendo for that. He blamed the angel for doing it in the first place. His so-called father only did what needed to be done.

Gendo was not expecting his son's reaction to the situation at all as Shinji rushed in pallet rifle blazing. He was easily close enough to nullify the monster's AT Field and some of the pallet shots struck home, others deflected off the armor, but either way, the thing was now very pissed. The monster lept off of EVA 00 landing on EVA 01 with full force, in the process pushing Shinji's unit to the ground. Its fist came back and nailed EVA 01 across the jaw, but the punishment just pissed Shinji off more. Getting a foot under him, he kicked the monster off getting back to his feet. His pallet rifle nearby was too badly damaged to continue using, so he pulled out his prog-knife instead.

"This is not happening as expected," Gendo whispered.

_If I can just get to the entry plug, _Shinji thought_, Maybe I can save the pilot._

Shinji ran forward brandishing his weapon, but the EVA still had a significant agility advantage. It lept over him planting both feet into his shoulders and sending him sprawling. The possessed EVA flipped and twilled sideways landing on all fours facing 01. Then it whipped its right arm back and launched its arm forward. The arm stretched as if slightly elastic grabbing the back of 01 as it was getting up and throwing it back passed 03 into a nearby cliff face. The roadway there was torn asunder from the impact.

Shinji tried to recover but realized he had hands wrapped around his neck. He fought for breath, trying to get the hands loose as 03 continued to apply pressure to the point that its face was getting a lot closer.

_I can't beat it…_

_**You know the pilot is likely already beyond saving… you're holding back…**_

_If there is still a chance…_

_**He will end your race, end everything. And let's not forget the woman you love is likely still wailing in agony from this monster's assault.**_

Shinji's eyes opened.

_**It tried to violate her body and spirit, are you going to let it win and let that insult go unavenged?**_

With a thought, Shinji conjured the forces of entropy to destroy the monitoring equipment in the plug.

"Damn!" Maya called out. "The cameras are toast; I have no telemetry on the pilot!"

"Prepare to activate the Dummy Plug," Gendo ordered.

"Power surge detected," Aoba called out. "Pattern… black?"

Gendo raised an eyebrow at that. "Pattern black?" he asked seeking clarification.

"Yes sir! Magi agree the energy pattern is black."

In the plug, even as his neck was being deformed by the sympathetic injuries on his EVA, Shinji's eyes opened as pure black orbs in his head and his aura appeared. Suddenly the EVA grew stronger, strong enough to finish this fight.

"You won't hurt her again," he hissed as his hands finally broke the iron grip on his neck. "Do you HEAR ME! YOU'RE UNFORGIVABLE!"

01 pulled its right hand back and connected with a massive right cross into 03's face with enough force to dent its mask. With a warcry, Shinji kept up the assault, delivering hit after hit into the possessed EVA until it fell over. Then he started really getting nasty.

He lept upon the EVA an started physically ripping it apart even as it continued to try to fight back. It managed to push him off but almost immediately, Shinji was at it again this time as soon as he got the monster on the ground he curb stomped its head with enough force to cause the entire cranial casing to explode outwards. A delivery truck nearby was splattered with a veritable tidal wave of blood and gore.

Maya Ibuki had seen and done some nasty things since becoming a member of the Midnight Order but this was still far to much for her. Her hands clasped over her mouth to keep from losing her lunch and she turned away trying to block out the sounds as EVA 01 continued its assault. More plates of armor were ripped away and Shinji now had access to the monster's chest cavity.

Here he did his best impression yet of a berserk EVA as he ripped the thing's organs and internal workings out tossing them aside like useless edifices. The sickening squelching sound of the organs rupturing echoed over the canyons and Maya was slowly losing the war with her stomach. She screamed for him to stop, tried to tell him it was over, that the pattern blue was gone, the target was silent, but to no avail. Shinji was in a blind rage, beyond reason, beyond stopping. He ripped out the entry plug backwards and in his complete rage, he couldn't stop his hand from clenching until the plug snapped and was crushed in his hand. He then dropped it to the ground with finality.

Finally he managed to get his breathing under control. He stepped back, looking at the mess he made, only partially remembering that he was the one who did it. Then he watched something roll out of the entry plug, stopping a few feet from it. His vision zoomed on it and instantly his blood turned cold.

"No…" he whispered as the image became clear. With blank eyes and an expression that spoke of the horror of his last moments on earth, the now severed head of Toji Suzahara stared at him.

EVA 01 fell to its knees as the realization of what just happened sunk in to the mind of its pilot.

"No," Shinji whispered again a little louder. In the command center, Gendo leaned forward, bridging his hands in his usual manner, and smiled slightly. The scenario was back on track.

Shinji's scream tore across the command center as Aoba's ingenuity managed to reestablish audio feeds to the pilot. He suddenly wished he wasn't so clever.

* * *

**Hours Later**

* * *

Misato wouldn't be home tonight, so the briefing said. She was recovering from her injuries in Matsushiro. He wasn't surprised to see Rei when he walked in the door, despite the fact that it was far too dangerous for her to be here.

"Shinji-kun?" She asked tentatively. He could see she was crying for him recently as the bloody tear tracks were visible even in the low light of the entryway.

"Rei-chan," he weakly replied. He took a step forwards and finally started to collapse.

Rei caught him and slowly lowered him down. She knelt with him leaning against her as the sadness overwhelmed them both. Never before had she heard Shinji cry like this, and she hoped she'd never have to hear it again. His pain was palpable in the very room around them.

"Shinji-kun… I know this must be terrible for you… but you can't blame yourself."

What happened next she wasn't prepared for. He suddenly tore himself away from her and yelled.

"Bullshit!" his voice cracked ever so slightly at that exclamation. "I did this Rei! I fucking killed my best friend with my own hands! I saw his fucking head roll out of the God damned plug! I could have stopped…I should have stopped… God damn it why didn't I stop?"

"Shinji-kun." Rei tried to get closer to him to comfort him, but unexpectedly he simply tore away from her.

"Leave me alone!" he yelled. "You can't help me now. No one can."

"But…"

"Go home Rei," he said quickly. "It's too dangerous for you to be here, you might get caught, and I don't want more blood on my hands tonight."

His words had more edge that they probably should have had and Rei suddenly felt rather powerless. Rather than risk upsetting him more, she bit back her tears, submerged her sorrow and left the apartment.

Shinji continued to sob for a few minutes as his mind raced with what could have happened. Finally he screamed and lashed out at the nearest objects. His rage took off again and soon there wasn't a single thing in the house that wasn't completely destroyed. Weakened from his exertion, he fell to his knees and resumed his crying.

_**Stop blaming yourself.**_

"Shut the fuck up!" he yelled at nothing. "You told me I'd have the power to prevent this shit from happening!"

_**Not even magic can stop some events when they're in motion like this, these events were set in motion before the pact was made. It's not how it works.**_

"What have I done?"

_**What you had to do. If you truly want to control everything you have learn one thing… how to see the strings that control everything, and know what you want to happen and what string you need to pull to make it happen. That is the power you possess.**_

"I… I don't even know where to start."

Leliel appeared to him, wearing a black sundress. She kneeled down in from of him putting hand on his shoulder.

_**I can't tell you that either, you have to find that for yourself. Give it a day… you'll find the answer.**_

"I guess…"

As Shinji stood back up, Leliel's image faded away leaving Shinji at ground zero for the mess his rage created. With a snap of his fingers, everything reconstructed itself around him.

* * *

**Class 2-A, Midday**

* * *

Shinji was numb… so terribly numb. He barely registered when Kensuke asked if he'd seen Touji. He couldn't answer him… how could he? Even the class representative noticed that Shinji was spaced, not even responding to the outside world. Finally at lunch, Hikari decided she had to face him and find out what was eating him. She wasn't prepared for the answer.

"Ikari-kun?" Hikari said as she walked up. "Shinji?" Still no response from him. Finally Hikari poked him the shoulder and he finally registered her presence. Shinji wasn't looking forward to this.

"What is wrong with you today?" she asked.

"I wish I could tell you… but I probably shouldn't."

"Why? Does this have something to do with Touji?"

There was no response out of Shinji, just a barely recognizable flinch. She instantly realized he knew something. Her heart started beating rapidly. It was no secret that Hikari was in love with the jock; Shinji knew it and Kensuke likely suspected it as well. Shinji knew she would never forgive him for this.

"It does," Hikari said, he voice cracking a little. "Please tell me it's not serious! Please tell me he's okay!"

Shinji finally turned he chair towards her but did not get up.

"Hikari… I… I'm so sorry," he whispred.

"Sorry? Sorry? What is it? Tell me!" Her last words were loud enough to get Kensuke's attention as he was still in the classroom.

"He was chosen as the Fourth Child," Shinji began. This revelation caused Hikari's heart to pound in her chest. "During the activation test… he… his EVA…"

"What?"

"His EVA was possessed by an angel. It took out Asuka and Rei… that's why they're absent… they're still recovering."

Hikari couldn't speak as the shock was beginning to seep in. She knew what he was going to say but part of her was screaming for Shinji to say it wasn't true.

"I fought it, but… it was strong. I thought about what it did to Rei… oh God Hikari… I didn't know he was the pilot. I went insane with rage, I tore the EVA to pieces with my bare hands…"

Hikari grabbed his shirt. "No…" she whispered, shaking her head as tears began to trail from her eyes. "You couldn't have…"

"By the time it was over, I… I didn't even realize what I had done and then… then…" Shinji shook ever so slightly as the memory came back. He saw it over and over in his mind, watching his best friend's decapitated head fall from the destroyed plug.

"NO!" she screamed pounding on his chest with her fists. "You killed him! You killed Touji you murderer! WHY? Why couldn't he be saved?" Her tears flowed freely, her violent movement shaking them loose. Some fell to her school vest, others landed on Shinji's cheeks.

He couldn't even feel the hits as Hikari beat on him; he had long since went numb from the emotional trauma. Eventually she tired herself out trying to hurt him and Shinji grabbed her arms gently to stop her from potentially hurting herself. She struggled slightly with it but by this time, she had fallen completely into despair. She collapsed on her knees in front of Shinji and cried into his lap, a part of her knowing that he would still comfort her despite his role in the death of the boy she loved.

In a gesture both of comfort and begged forgiveness, Shinji placed a hand on her upper back and rubbed it in a gentle circular direction. She continued to ball hard, with no end in sight for her tears.

Kensuke had heard the whole story of course, but deep inside part of him he knew it wasn't truly Shinji's fault. He took of his glasses as his body went numb and simply wiped the tears that fell from his eyes. He couldn't vocalize the pain. Ken had remembered what Shinji had said about EVA, and now Kensuke knew that he was right. Never again would he desire to become a pilot.

* * *

**Later**

* * *

Shinji arrived at him to find Misato waiting for him. Her arm was in a sling but she looked okay.

"Shinji-kun," she started sadly. "I heard about Touji… I'm so sorry. I feel like it's partially my fault."

"Don't worry about it Misato-san, it wasn't your fault at all."

It wasn't what he said that disturbed her; it was how he said it… like there was nothing wrong… like he didn't just kill his best friend less than 24 hours ago.

"Shinji-kun… are you sure you're all right?"

"I did what had to be done," he said matter-of-factly. "I wish Touji didn't have to die, but it was either him or the human race. I did my duty." With no other words he walked into his room.

"If you want to talk about…" the click of the door cut off her words. Now she was really worried. As long as she'd known him, he'd been an emotional boy. To suddenly switch off like this….

* * *

**Nightfall**

* * *

Shinji lay in bed staring at the ceiling as the cool night air drifted over him. He started thinking back to what Leliel said.

"Tell me about Mardunk," he whispred.

_**It's a sham. You know it, I know it.**_

"And the person who controls it then is my father," he deduced.

_**Meaning?**_

"Meaning indirectly, father caused his death."

_**Now you understand what I meant before. You're starting to see the strings that control the system.**_

"It all leads back to NERV," Shinji agreed, "to HIM."

_**And the power in Gendo's hand.**_

"Hands you mean?"

_**Yes, of course.**_

"He needs to die," Shinji said as he stood up. As his normal night outfit came into being around him, he felt something at the edge of his senses.

"A dark gathering is afoot."

_**Mages from the Black Rose, they're going to take another crack at you.**_

"They've been building their numbers in the city for a few days now. They're gathered tonight aren't they?"

_**Likely making their last preparations.**_

"Well then… someone needs to put them in their place." With a wave of his hand, a roughly humanoid shadow pulled itself from the ground in black mist. "The shadows will seal their fate, but I want them to feel terror… true terror when they die."

A pair of black smoky wings, as if made from pure shadow came into being behind him. "No quarter, I have a lot of rage to work out."

_**Yes… kill them all, murder them just as they will try to murder you.**_

"Tonight they die." Shinji's voice slipped a little towards the guttural with his last words as his widow flew open and he launched himself into the night. The moon in the distance was full and red.

Tonight… blood will run…

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**A/N:** Seems like I love turning characters dark. I did it to Mayumi for three chapters (Tempest Aterna Dark Storm Trilogy). This time, though it isn't a demon, but an angel that drags the character past their normal moral borders. Shinji utilizing shadow magic is far more susceptible to temptation, so it fits well here…

… and you thought you'd seen the last of Leliel… Ha! By now you realize what her game is. Her slip in the last part should have been a dead giveaway.


	18. Descent Into Darkness, Part IV

**XVIII: Descent Into Darkness, Part IV: Crisis of Soul**

* * *

**Roma**

* * *

While the seat of power for the Christian religion was the last place you would ever expect to find a vampire, it was frequented by them often enough. In this case the vampire in question was Korgan, and the reason behind his visit was the need for information.

In the southern parts of Roma, there was an abandoned chapel. Underneath the abandoned chapel was the home of a coven of mages who practiced Necromancy, and kept meticulous records on some of the most powerful necromantic artifacts in the world. Thusly, Korgan hoped that they would know where to find what it was he was seeking.

Of course he had to watch his step among them, council member or no because they were masters of the art of Necromancy, spells tailored for the dead… and the undead.

"What makes you think we know anything about it?" the headmaster said. "We're humble mages practicing forbidden arts near the heart of Christianity itself. I'd think we'd have to be very careful indeed to not draw attention to ourselves, yes?"

Korgan sat in a chair across from the headmaster with his hands folded. Behind him were two mages ready to make the last moments of his unlife hell if the headmaster wished it, and yet, he was completely calm and collected as he replied.

"My dear Headmaster Nicodemus," he began, "I know all about having to keep up secrecy. It's in my job description as well, though my escapade in Madrid ended poorly, I still managed to return to shadow. I imagine it must be quite expensive to keep up fronts and keep specific mouths closed about your location and proximity to the Vatican itself. But ah, it's deliciously ironic, and certainly the last place anyone would look. But I digress.

"The point of course is that it can not be cheap to ensure the silence of so many that must know of this place, so if I were to make a substantial donation to your silence fund and ensure that no one on my end would dare speak a word of this place, then perhaps I could convince you to at least take a look for me?"

Nicodemus, a decidedly ancient man placed a nearly skeletal forefinger on his chin as if in thought. "Well I suppose taking a look can't hurt when you put it that way. But you are correct; keeping the silence can be bothersome and expensive. I'd say it'd cost us around… oh… 150 thousand just for the latest round of payoffs and such.

"Well," Korgan replied. "That is quite expensive. I suppose its fortunate then that I just so happen to have 300 thousand in untraceable euros on hand that I happen to have no real use for at the moment. I'm sure you, my good friend, could put it to good use."

"That is very generous of you Council Member Korgan," he replied. "I'll have my scribes take a look though our records for you and see if we can't find this crucible of yours." As he spoke, one of the mages took the case next to Korgan and placed it on a nearby table. He opened it carefully and began to count the currency quickly.

"I appreciate that," Korgan said with a grin. "This is doing me a great service and I appreciate it."

"Well, what are friends for?" Nicodemus returned a white smile, far too white to be natural.

* * *

**Tokyo-3, Katsuragi Residence**

* * *

"Shinji-kun?" Rei whispered as she stealthily snuck through the apartment towards Shinji's room. When she arrived at the door, she slid it open quietly only to find that the room was empty and the window as opened.

"Shinji-kun," she whispered again. Suddenly the lights came on. She spun around with a hand on one of her blades.

Misato stood there still fully dressed, Her arm was out of the sling but it was obvious she wasn't trying to use it. The side of her face was still bruised from where she was struck by the Shadow Dancer. Her expression was unreadable.

"I thought vampires couldn't enter a home unless they were invited?"

"You invited me when I moved in after my apartment burned down," Rei pointed out.

"I remember that, didn't know how long the invitation lasted."

Rei removed her hand from her blade, as her eyes took on a worried look.

"Where is he?" Misato asked. "I know you have to have an idea."

"I don't," Rei replied. "I tried to comfort him after the incident but he was inconsolable. He bade me to leave before I was caught."

"But you live here," she pointed out. Just then the door to her room opened and she saw another Rei, this one not dressed like a night crawler, instead in a pair of simple panties and a cut off shirt.

"And it never occurred to you that I could be in two places at once?"

"Wait…" Mistao whispered as she finally started putting it together. "You were killed in NERV!"

"It only looked that way," she replied. "I guess you don't know about the chamber of Gaf then. To put it simply, I'm the core of the dummy plug system."

"What?" Misato exclaimed as she sat down, fearing she'd loose her balance.

"There is a well at the bottom of NERV, where the rest of the clones of me reside. Commander Ikari just activates another one if something happens to me."

"This time," Rei III began, "I messed with his protocols. The first time I went down for a memory download after I was turned I leaked some of my vampiric blood into the well. Manipulating the blood, I forced a change in the well. Because only the primary active clone has a soul, I couldn't actually change all of my clones into vampires, but I did the next best thing."

"And that would be?"

"They are all hybrids," Rei explained causing Misato to turn back. "In many ways they are just like vampires only not a strong and with fewer weaknesses. I guess you can call them Dhampire." (A/N: It's pronounced Dam-peal with a slight "h" sound with the d) "The biggest advantage though is I can be in multiple places at once."

"You control them?"

"Yes and no," both Reis said at once.

"They have individual minds," Rei III explained, "but are part of my collective consciousness, meaning they can act on their own according to what they know should be done, but when necessary, I can synchronize with them and control them directly. So I'm still in control when it's time to pilot EVA or at least directing the movements of my kin."

"That's… creepy." Misato was beside herself.

"Yeah," the original replied, "I'm still not used to it myself, but it's quite an advantage. Currently the two of us are the only active clones, but that can change at the drop of a hat. You see, my sisters in the well were very careful to memorize the sequence the Commander used to awaken Rei III, so if needed I could go down there and release them all."

"Both clones? Neither one of you is the original?"

"No," Rei replied. "The first was killed by Naoko Akagi when we were still very young, before the Magi came fully online. I'm the second iteration."

"I'm the third," Rei III said.

"But how did you fake your own death?" Misato asked. "I watched your head come off!"

"It was an illusion," Rei replied. "Shinji is a Shadow Mage, and illusions are something of a talent of his."

"Wait… magic is real?" Misato asked with disbelief in her voice.

"Very much so," Rei replied as Rei III headed back to sleep seeing she was no longer needed. "Yui was also a Shadow Mage so it ran in his family… well at least on his mother's side."

"This is too much." Misato shook her head in partial disbelief. "I can't believe this stuff really exists and I've never seen it until now."

"Only now have your path and the supernatural crossed. Most people go their entire lives without ever seeing it. But the truth of the matter is the world of the supernatural is right in front of us all the time. Any average looking person you pass on the streets could be a mage, werewolf, vampire, ghoul or whatever."

"Unreal… but if Shinji is a Shadowmage, where would he be right now?"

"Like I said, I wish I knew," Rei admitted.

"I wonder if this has anything to do with the report of cultists in town."

"Cultists?" Rei asked quizzically.

"Yeah, supposedly they were gathering at the construction site of a warehouse on the outskirts south east of here near the old water tower. One of the Section-2 agents said something about a black rose."

Instantly Rei ran for the window, before Misato could stop her, her form burst apart into a swarm of bats and flew out the window.

"What the…"

"The Black Rose is a mage cult that's been trying to kill Shinji," Rei III said, now back in the hallway.

"Why?"

"Because he's a powerful Shadow Mage, is Yui's son and she was a former member. They kill what they can't control."

"Damn!" Misato grabbed her keys and ran for the door. Rei III watched her go in her haste.

"I hope she doesn't get herself killed," the clone whispered.

* * *

**Minutes Later**

* * *

The swarm of bats pulled together at the door to the warehouse. The roof hadn't been constructed yet, but the walls were mostly intact already. Inside she could hear the sounds of men screaming and felt the energy of Shinji's power. She kicked the door open and was shocked by what she saw.

Men were burning alive in heaps of partially desiccated ash around her, others appeared to have been torn asunder. Small humanoid creatures, each about the size of a 10 year old child with dark claws were everywhere, pulling some of the mages apart while Shinji himself stood in the eye of the storm. Off of his back was a pair of demonic wings composed entirely of shadow energy, leaving wispy and smoky trails as they moved.

With little more than a gesture, another mage nearby exploded as if a bomb went off in his torso. Bolts of lightning flew from the hands of another mage but the power was blocked by one of Shinji's wings. When it stopped, Shinji made a pulling motion causing the mage to fly at him uncontrolled as a black shadow steel katana appeared and he sliced the mage in half at the waist.

This wasn't self-defense, Rei realized. These people were human beings, not vampiric monsters or werewolves that had gone too far. They were simply mortal men with supernatural abilities and Shinji was murdering them. They were defending themselves. Maybe they came here to come after him, to kill or capture him, but they hadn't even got that far yet. He was slaughtering them.

He approached one who was groveling for his life and Shinji simply cut him down without a thought. This was too much for Rei… it had to stop.

"Shinji-kun!" she yelled causing him to stop. He turned to face her and instantly a smile lit his face.

"Come to join the slaughter Rei-chan?" he asked. "I was hoping you'd be here. Now we can ensure that none of them escape with their lives."

"You have to stop this! This is inhuman!"

"And what, what they were going to do to me was any better?" Shinji protested. "Come on now. We don't put on kid gloves when it's time to deal with rogue vampires or pissed off German werewolves that don't have their green card handy. Why is this different?"

"They're mortal humans, not monsters!"

"That's a matter of opinion, Rei-chan," Shinji countered. "And besides, don't you want revenge for what happened to Nyri?"

"Don't!" Rei yelled in near disgust. "Don't drag her name into this! You know this is wrong!"

"It doesn't feel wrong," Shinji countered causing Rei to stop and simply gawk at what he said. There was nothing in his voice that betrayed any hint of the emotions she was looking for. He simply had no conscience about this at all. "When I'm done here, I should go visit my father and let him know how I really feel."

Suddenly wave of holy energy passed over the warehouse. The energy caused the shadows around Rei to shriek in pain as one by one they disappeared in a poof of dark energy. Shinji's eyes trailed up to the second floor of the warehouse. There on the catwalks were a circle of mages wearing wide hats. Dropping to the floor behind him was another one. Rei recoginized him immediately and wished that this man wasn't here.

"That's enough Ikari," Van Helsing ordered. "You've caused enough damage."

"You must be Professor Abraham Van Helsing," Shinji replied dryly with a mock bow. "I figured someone of your arrogance would be by to end my fun sooner or later."

"With everything going on right now, why Shinji, why stir up this much trouble?"

"They were going to kill me or sacrifice me to a hell pit," he replied. "What was I supposed to do, wait until they caught me?"

"That doesn't give you the right to take the law into your own hands. They were human, and they are governed by both the laws of the Covenant and Man's Law. Their deaths were not your decision to make."

"You know what? Fuck you! Fuck you and your bullshit way of doing things. Don't think that I forgot that you tried to take in the woman I love and for what, she killed a few bloodsuckers… big deal."

"They had cattle, they didn't do anything wrong."

"They were connected to the Shadow Council, that's enough for me. Are you going after Rei's sire too?"

"Wraith will be dealt with," Van Helsing replied quickly.

"Wraith?" Rei asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Rei, Kenjiro Umatsu is a top ranking assassin for the Shadow Conucil."

"What?"

"I knew it," Shinji growled under his breath. "We're being played. This is why I don't give a shit about your bullshit special organizations anymore. I do what I choose to do and nothing is going to stop me anymore. Not you, or the council, or the fucking Nazi Werewolves or whatever. Nothing!"

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Van Helsing replied. "I'll stop you here and now."

"Try it," Shinji hissed as his aura exploded outwards defiantly.

"Foolish boy, it's already happening." Van Helsing threw his hand forward throwing out a blast of pure white energy which Shinji easily blocked with his wings. Summoning up more shadow energy he launched a massive spear of black energy at Van Helsing.

As the spear reached him, Van Helsing backhanded it, blowing it apart easily.

"What the hell?" Shinji said as he saw that display. He knew he was even more powerful than Van Helsing but why were his spells so ineffective? Then he looked up at the circle of mages.

_Of course! _

He should have seen it before… they're using countermagic, and this many mages at once will soon overpower him.

"Cheater!" Shinji yelled as he summoned up a massive plume of Shadow energy, even more powerful than the counter effect of all of the mages together. Van Helsing sensed the energy of this latest blast of energy but didn't even flinch. Shinji did exactly what he wanted him to do.

"Prison of Souls," Van Helsing called out and suddenly Shinji lost control of the energy as binds of pure white chains appeared and wrapped around his arms and legs pulling him down.

"No!" Shinji yelled as his wings faded away and the darkness in his eyes began to fade out. "I can't be stopped!" He was dragged closer to the ground as a shape similar to an Iron Maiden formed around him crafted of silvery metal. "NOOO!" With a resounding boom it slammed closed around him. Rei flinched and looked away when that happened.

"It's metaphysical Rei, relax. It's just going to weaken his power so he can't fight back anymore.

Rei was about to say something but then she noticed she had two of the order members behind her with crossbows pointed at her. She noticed one of them was Maya.

"I'm sorry Rei," Maya said as she was noticed. "I can fight for leniency and forgiveness for you, but please don't run again. It will help you case more if you stay of your own will."

Rei nodded her understanding. "Call them off Van Helsing. While you have the boy I love, I will not run."

Van Helsing nodded to his men and they lowered their weapons. As he approached the Iron Soul Maiden he let his annoyance finally pour out. It wasn't often that Van Helsing expressed anger, but this time, he had to let it out.

"With everything going on right now," he began, "you decide that this is when you want to go off the deep end and start murdering people indiscriminately. I can't stress enough how much I don't need this right now! I was content to let you go about your life without supervision but I see now how much of a mistake that was."

"It's not his fault! It can't be!" Rei's cries roused him out of his anger. He faced her noticing the bloody tears beginning to fall. "I don't know what's happening to him, but it can't be his fault… it… it just can't."

Rei dropped to her knees in despair. "Whatever you are go away!" she yelled. "I want my Shinji-kun back! Give him back!"

Van Helsing looked away. He forgot how emotional vampires could get, especially if they were in love. Genuinely, he hoped Rei was right, that he wasn't truly in control of himself, and that there was something he could simply rip out of the boy and set things right again.

As Rei gave in to her despair and worry, Maya dropped her cross bow and kneeled down with her. The Vampress instantly threw herself into her seeking comfort from the young woman as she had once sought blood and companionship from her. Maya's heart broke for her and she did her best to comfort the young vampress.

* * *

**Elsewhere**

* * *

Asuka sat up breathing hard. Sweat poured off of her body as she tried to get her bearings again. She was in a hospital bed, and she was not alone in the room.

"Take it easy," came the calming voice of Kaji. "You're okay now."

"Kaji-sama," she whispered almost at the point of crying. "I… I had the dream again."

Kaji wiped her sweat away with a towel and pulled the nearly broken girl to him.

"It's only a dream Asuka-chan," he whispered as he incanted a calming spell in his own mind to help her relax.

"It was so real," she whispered. "The pain, the knives, the blood… it was worse than last time." Already her voice was starting to calm.

Kaji may not love Asuka the same way Asuka believed she loved him, but he was still worried for her. A long time ago, she banished her demons given to her over her mother's death, but a year or so later, she acquired a new demon to haunt her dreams.

In her minds eye, she sees a ritual being performed on a young girl about the age of nine. In this ritual, she watched as the girl was cut with silvered blades causing her to cry in pain and her eyes to redden revealing her to be a lycan. There were men in dark gray robes who gathered at the table to each make their own cuts into the girl's body. Her blood slowly ran into small tracks in the stone altar running eventually to a waiting spout filling with the blood of the girl. A cup was given to Asuka and that was when she realized she was in the vision herself. She looked to her left and saw a mirror. She saw herself at age nine holding the cup in two small hands preparing to drink the blessed blood.

That was when she usually woke up.

Each time, the dream seemed to become more and more vivid. It seems as if it's more along the lines of a memory, but Kaji would have known if something like that happened when she was in Germany with the Steel Jaw Tribe. Something like that wouldn't have escaped his notice, so why did she keep having these dreams. He refused to believe it was a memory.

_But what if it was?_ This was a thought he had a lot lately. It bothered him too much that she would keep getting the same nightmare over and over again and each time it was actually getting clearer rather than more distant.

As he laid her now sleeping form back down to the bed, he decided it might be time to do some research into this. But he was certain he wouldn't like the answer.

* * *

**Elsewhere**

* * *

Rei sat next to the Iron Soul Maiden looking at it. Though she'd long since stopped crying, anyone could tell she was still very upset. She could see though the physical embodiment of the enchantment sort of as it was partially translucent now that it was locked. Shinji was in there, and he was calm now. He looked back with a gentle smile on his face, despite his dire situation.

"Shinji-kun, you've got to stop letting your anger control you."

"This has nothing to do with anger," Shinji replied softly. "It has to do with freedom… I'm tired of it Rei… tired of all the control they put on me. Don't do this, don't do that. Obey your orders without question. I just want to be free of it all."

"But killing these men won't help you," Rei pointed out.

"Yes it will," Shinji replied. "Eventually people will learn not to fuck with me, and then they'll leave me alone. What are you so worried about anyway? These men were garbage… filth, no better than rabid dogs. They disserved to die."

"That is not our choice to make."

"It should be… we have the power."

That statement chilled her. It wasn't a statement Shinji would make. She stood up and walked away from the Iron Soul Maiden realizing that whatever it was that was inside him was closer than ever to full demonizing him.

"For what it's worth Rei," he started which made her stop, "I'm sorry I got caught. It's okay though. When I get loose, I'll kill Helsing for you, so you can be free too."

The way he said it, so matter-of-fact, like there was nothing wrong with it, sent an icy feeling though her body. What kind of a monster did her Shinji become?

She hurried over to where Maya and Van Helsing were discussing things.

"Are you certain?" she heard Maya say.

"Absolutely," Van Helsing replied. "He's not fully in control of himself. There is something influencing him. The last scan I did proves that there are two souls inside his body at this very moment."

"What?" Rei demanded. Both of order members looked at her as she said it. "What is it, or who?"

"We don't know yet," Maya replied.

"What bothers me though, is that whatever it is isn't directly controlling him in the usual manner. It's pulling his darkest desires to the surface and manipulating him that way."

"So my Shinji is capable of this? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Calm down Rei, please." Maya's voice caught Rei and dragged her from getting more upset.

"Everyone is technically capable of this," Van Helsing replied. "It just depends on how much of a push it takes to get to that point. Even the most devout disciple of Santeria has a dark side, but normally it can be controlled easily and never dwelled upon. It stays in the Id where it belongs. Whatever is possessing Shinji has removed that barrier, his conscience in this case, and is fueling his powers and thusly his desires. His deepest desire is to be free of the control he sees himself caught in, and so his dark side is expressing that desire for freedom by trying to eliminate anything seen as a method of control."

"It turned him into a monster," Rei said with sadness in her voice. "Is there any way to remove it?"

"Exorcism of a demon is easy enough, but this isn't a demon."

"What is it then?"

Van Helsing frowned. "I wish I knew. It reads like a Santeria effect in some ways and in others, its something else entirely, Shadowy and veiled behind a screen. It's like trying to make out the details of a manuscript 20 feet away in a room with only a single dim candle providing light. It's there, I can see it, but I have no idea what it is."

"Which means we have no idea how to fight it," Rei replied.

"I'm sorry Rei," Van Helsing said. "We're going to take him back to the Carpathian Highlands with us, back to our headquarters. Maybe there we can research the answers."

"And what about me?" she asked.

"We've decided to drop all the charges against you. You're welcome to come but you are not our prisoner anymore."

"Why? Why drop the charges?"

"I have enough on my plate, and to be honest… you probably did do the world a favor. If you hadn't killed those vampires at the Gallow's End, Korgan wouldn't have exposed himself trying to get revenge. We'd still be in the dark about this plot."

"So you know what he's up to?"

"I have a theory which fits the facts," he explained. "That's enough for the order to investigate further, just not enough to act on."

* * *

**Nearby**

* * *

"Van Helsing is winning her over," Shinji whispered.

_**Forget her for now, she'll thank you later. For now we should concentrate on the primary objective. Your father tried to kill her, activate a replacement and you know he's behind everything including Touji's death, either directly or indirectly. He should be your priority.**_

"He is now," Shinji replied. Inwardly he began cycling the little bit of power the Iron Soul Maiden couldn't suppress causing it to intensify quickly. "We're getting out of here."

Within seconds the metaphysical energy internally grew to a powerful enough force that it could easily level a building, but he didn't need it for that purpose. All at once he focused the energy outwards. Van Helsing looked in the direction of the Iron Soul Maiden a split second before he did so, sensing something was wrong with his containment spell.

The explosion sent him, Maya and Rei nearly 30' into the wall of the warehouse. Several Ordrer Mages fell from the upper level as the shockwave passed over them. When the energy was cleared, there was no sign at all of Shinji.

"Damn it!" Van Helsing yelled. "Get after him!"

The mages complied trying to trace him down as they left the warehouse.

Van Helsing picked himself back up, helping Maya and Rei to their feet as well.

"Wonderful," Maya said to herself. "How are we going to find him. Shadow Mages are notoriously difficult to locate if they know they're being tracked.

"I can find him," Rei replied. "I can always find him." She discorporated into bats and flew into the city before Maya could say anything.

"Maya, take the information we have and continue researching. If we can figure out where in Shinji this creature is hiding, we might be able to figure out how to get it out of him."

"I'll work on it."

"He's going off half-cocked and supercharged. He's a danger to everyone in the city. We have to stop him."

"What if we can't figure out how to stop him?"

"Then I'm sorry Lady Maya… he'll have to die."

* * *

**To Be Concluded…**

* * *

**A/N: **Well I've made an awful mess of things haven't I? The Descent Into Darkness story arc concludes next chapter


	19. Descent Into Darkness, Part V

**XIX: Descent Into Darkness, Part V: Violent Purge**

* * *

**Outskirts of Tokyo-3**

* * *

Rei considered herself a good tracker, and these skills served her well when hunting the vampires that threatened to envelop Tokyo-3 with their corruption and evil. Her sense of smell has been magnified greatly as part of her transformation into an undead creature, and as a vampire herself, her skills were focused mainly on the scent of blood. The thing of it was, it didn't have to be spilled blood. She could smell the blood in a person's body even if it was all on the inside because enough of it reached the other layers of the epidermis to release the tell-tale scent into the air.

And this was what she was following, though the blood of several of the dead mages of the Black Rose were still on him as well, she didn't recognized those. Shinji's sweet blood however was something she remembered and would always remember. And when she smelled it, she knew something was wrong with him. He smelled different to her, almost as if his sweet vitae and turned sour in his veins. In retrospect, she should have noticed this sooner, but she thought it was stress in having to deal with the Angel of the Night, Leliel, that changed his blood. But now she had her doubts about that.

Perhaps she didn't know Shinji as well as she thought she did. Perhaps after all this time, his true colors were coming out. She knew he had a lot of rage in him, a consequence of his father being the epic douche bag that he was. But to think that his grip on reality, that his hold on his own rage was so thin upset her beyond words. Still, she was willing to fight for him, assuming she could bring back the boy she loved and dispelled this murderous monster from the face of creation.

Finally she locked on to his exact location and was puzzled by the trail. He was looking for something in this part of town, and it took her a few seconds to realize what it was he was looking for. It was a secret entrance into NERV, one that she used on occasion to avoid the crowds. It was an entrance that wasn't monitored externally, since NERV access systems were virtually infallible, and someone who managed to break in wouldn't get very far before Section-2 was all over them like flies on fecal matter. Of course Section-2 was completely inept in dealing with something the likes of Shinji, and would be about as effective as a rolled up newspaper against a Sherman Tank.

Knowing where the access point was allowed her to figure out how long she had before he reached it based on his search pattern. She could easily head him off before he reached it, and that was exactly what she was planning on doing. Moving into intercept position, she kept her weapons stowed; she didn't want to look provocative at first, firmly intending to try to talk him down, resorting to violence only if unavoidable.

* * *

**Warehouse Remnants, 5 minutes later**

* * *

Maya pulled out another large metal box and opened it, removing the first scroll she touched as she reached in. She looked at the name on the seal and scrunched her face.

"Nope," She said and reached in for another one. "No." She grabbed another. "Why is this even in here?"

Suddenly the men heard the screeching of tires. Before they could react, the door was kicked in and a pissed off woman in a red jacket was pointing a gun at the first person she saw.

"Alright you occult bastards!" she yelled. "Where's my charge?"

"Major Misato Katsuragi I presume," came the voice of Van Helsing.

"Who wants to know?" She yelled back then saw the men parting to let an older gentleman passed them.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he said calmly. "My name is Professor Abraham Van Helsing, and these men are all apart of The Midnight Order. We came here to stop a massacre in progress against the mage cult known as the Order of the Black Rose."

"You trying to say you're the good guys?" She demanded as she turned her gun towards Van Helsing. "Where is my Shinji?"

"He was the perpetrator of the massacre," he said calmly. "I had managed to capture him to stop the slaughter but he has escaped. We don't know where to yet."

"Shinji isn't a murderer!" she protested.

"Unfortunately, it appears that he is. However to be fair, this isn't his fault. He's being controlled by an unknown entity; we haven't been able to figure out what it is yet."

Misato lowered her gun. "How did it get into him?"

"We still don't know," he replied. "We thought it might be a daemon, but it reads as a different form of that very power; Santeria."

"Santeria," Misato repeated. "You mean, Divine Power… as in Angelic Power?"

"Angelic," Van Helsing replied almost questioningly. "You think this could be an Angel?"

"Shinji's a Shadow Mage right? Would another Shadow do this to him?"

"Leliel!" Maya called out attracting both the attention of Van Helsing and Misato. "The Angel of Night! Of course it's gotta be! He defeated that angel way too easily. I think it made a pact with him somehow."

"Lieutenant Ibuki? Is that you?"

Maya looked pale for a moment. "Oh… um… Hi Major, yeah… it's me… kind of a long story…"

"Maya is one of our Inner Circle Members," Van Helsing replied. "She's the reason we know about you."

"Wonderful," Misato replied. "I never took you for the two job type Maya."

"Yeah, it's a long story," she replied. "I'll tell you all about it under less dire circumstances."

"You may be wrong about Leliel," Van Helsing continued as he turned towards Maya.

"It's the best lead we have Lord Helsing," she replied. "The Santeria effect was something of a giveaway that it could be an Angel, I'm surprised we didn't think of it sooner."

"But where would he have gone?" Misato asked.

"Rei mentioned that she could find him, and we knew he was going after anything that he perceives as a method of control or bondage."

"NERV," Misato replied. "He's probably going after NERV. And he'd want to use surprise to his advantage, he loved that during training which means one of the seldom used access points."

"Good deduction," Van Helsing replied. "Hopefully we'll find out if it was accurate soon enough. Rei said she could locate him, so we're hoping she can stop him. My Mages by themselves will not be enough, he's far too powerful."

* * *

**Outside Roma**

* * *

It took a few hours and a lot of Italian Coffee exchanged between Nicodemus and Korgan, as well as a lot of talking to keep themselves entertained before the scroll was finally put in front of Nicodemus.

"Thank you," he said to the scribe. He unrolled the parchment and read the contents.

"Luck I hope?" Korgan asked.

"Luck indeed," the nearly skeletal man replied. "The Crucible of Souls which you so covet has been in the possession of the same cult of mages for a long time and still resides with them. The coven is known as the Order of the Black Rose, they make their base in the Carpathian Mountains. Seems a lot of people like to make that place their Headquarters. I heard the Midnight Order also keeps their HQ up there as well."

"Well I won't be paying them a visit," Korgan replied. "After Barcelona and Madrid they are officially off my Christmas card list. And I know of the location of the Black Rose Coven's HQ. But I never knew they had managed to get there hands on that artifact."

"Apparently," Nicodemus replied, "they've had it for centuries. I doubt they will simply hand it to you."

"I know," Korgan replied. "I'd ask for your assistance in this matter but I know you have your own concerns and I wouldn't dream of dragging you away from them."

Nicodemus nodded.

"You my friend have been a wonderful aid to me. Thank you for that." Nicodemus handed the scroll to Korgan as he spoke. "If you have need of anything at all, please let me know."

"I will," Nicodemus replied. "Having an ally within the Shadow Council is a blessing."

"Indeed."

* * *

**Tokyo-3**

* * *

Shinji turned another corner looking for the access point. He knew it was in this neighborhood somewhere, he wasn't expecting to see Rei waiting for him there in the middle of the street.

"Rei-chan," Shinji said with a slight smile on his face. "I'm glad you're here."

"Shinji-kun," Rei replied. "Please stop this."

"But why?" He asked. "Don't you want to be free of my father's influence? Free of his schemes and plots?"

"Of course I do, but we still need him for now. He has knowledge about the future that will be of value to us. He's one of the few people who could translate the scrolls. We need him to keep NERV together for now."

"We don't need him," Shinji protested. "We've never needed him. He's an obstacle, nothing more."

"Listen to yourself!" she snapped trying to get his attention. "You can't secure freedom though acts like this!"

"There is no other way!" Shinji protested. "We'll be under his power forever if we don't do something about him."

"His time to die will come, but not today."

"I'm sorry Rei-chan," he said softly. "I can't wait for you to give me the okay. He has to die."

"Then this is unavoidable," she said softly. Her hands reaching for the blades on her back. "Are we really going to do this Shinji-kun?"

_**She can't beat you; you're even more powerful than she is. Just disable her and move on, we have bigger fish to fry.**_

_You underestimate my love… you underestimate her greatly._

"I suppose that's up to you Rei-chan," he said as he summoned a shadowy katana. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry it has come to this."

"So am I," she whispered softly.

At once they both started running towards each other, Rei drawing her weapons as she closed the gap, Shinji taking his single blade in two hands. It was a dark samurai versus a vampire ninja, it was going to be a battle not just of skill and power but of two hearts desperately searching for the answer to their greatest conflict. As the gap slammed shut, the beginning of the battle was marked by the singing of steel.

Rei desperately tried to break though Shinji's defenses with the intention of bludgeoning him with the flat of her blades enough to weaken him while Shinji was attempting non-lethal strikes of his own to cause her to lose enough blood to stop resisting him. As it stood, neither could break through the other's defenses. Rei's carbon steel blades sparked with nearly every impact with the shadow steel sword that Shinji held. He tried to teleport behind her but her vampiric speed was too much for that and she was able to easily block the attack.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said as he tried another angle of attack.

"I don't want to hurt you either," she replied, "but this madness has to stop now."

"This isn't madness!" he protested. "This is liberation! Can't you see that?"

Shinji tried to concentrate on Rei's shadow to have it immobilize her but doing so took his attention away from the combat, and he remembered too late that Vampires do not cast shadows. He was kicked to the ground for that mistake but never lost his grip on his blade. As Rei attempted to capitalize on her small victory and drop upon him to pin him down, he called forth the power of the time sphere and took himself out of the normal time stream giving him enough time to get up and in counter position as Rei pounced. From her perspective she lept towards the fallen mage and was suddenly kicked from the left at the same moment Shinji simply vanished.

She rolled back to her feet. Seeing he was moving in with his blade again. Rei knew that if Shinji wanted to kill her, he could do it easily. He could take her out of the time continuum long enough to eviscerate her and decapitate her and put her back in the normal time line allowing her dusted body to fall before him in an instant. But he loved her, and she knew that. Even with whatever was influencing him, he still loved her and could never bring himself to kill her. She counted herself lucky for that.

"Give up," he ordered. "Please Rei-chan, you know I can beat you easily."

"Time Sphere is cheating Shinji-kun," she teased while waggling a finger at him. "My big, strong Shadow Mage doesn't need such parlor tricks to show me how powerful he is does he?"

"You're right," he said as his shadowy wings appeared again. "I should show you my new tricks."

She watched as the wings started forming into a veil of darkness behind him. Two pairs of red eyes focused out of the darkness forming part of the veil into what looked like a pair of serpents. The one of the right had teeth like a remora eel, sharp and pointed, while the other had teeth that were flatter, better for gripping. The tails of the serpents were also visible behind him writhing away.

_This must be an aspect of the entity controlling him. It's ugly… really ugly._

"Read enough graphic novels and you come up with all sorts of new ways to control your power. Who thought that creatures that were so similar to 'The Darkness' existed within the Shadow Realm. These are Twilight Serpents, monsters that exist deep within the darkest parts of the Plane of Shadows. If you can tame them, they make great allies."

"Impressive," Rei replied, holding her blades at the ready. "My Shadow Mage has come very far."

"I'm glad you're happy," he said softly. He moved in on the attack again, this time with additional back up. Rei played keep away at first and realized she'd really have to be careful now that he had those serpents with him. After dodging the second car thrown at her by the flat toothed serpent, she wondered if getting him to lay off the Time Sphere was really such a good idea. In a way there wasn't any doubt; at least she had a chance to dodge these things.

* * *

**The Warehouse**

* * *

Maya opened another scroll. At this point, even Misato was trying to help her.

"Do you really think its Leliel?" she asked Maya.

"It's got to be," she replied. "It makes too much sense for it not to be."

"I hope you're wrong. So… who else knows about your night job?"

Maya smirked. "Sempai does, Shinji, Asuka, Rei and I suspect Kaji might know as well."

"Kaji? Why would he have any knowledge of this?"

"Kaji is a member of Blacklight," Maya replied. "Blacklight is a specialist group of Arcane practitioners, i.e Mage Coven, that works directly for the Japanese Government. They're a subsidiary of the JSSDF, specifically in their paranormal research and control department."

"Wait… Kaji is a mage?"

"Yep," Maya replied. "A damn good one too. He's one of Blacklight's top members. Much like our organization, Blacklight tries to keep the peace but they're government sponsored while we aren't."

"Doesn't that make you outlaws?"

"Nope. On the contrary, Blacklight usually consults with us on situations they've never had to deal with before. Our order is extremely ancient, having existed in one form or another before the birth of Christ."

"Interesting," she replied. "So tell me, how does one get involved in such an organization."

"Well," Maya replied as she pulled another scroll. "My Grandfather was an inner circle member so when I contacted the order to join up, my application was approved almost immediately. If you're interested in joining the organization, I can put in a good word for you."

"Not sure if I would join or not, but considering a major underground organization like The Midnight Order is here in town, I can only assume that my job might be more dangerous than I thought."

"You have no idea…" Maya whispered. "Aha! Found it!" Maya found a scroll dedicated to Shadow Entities and unrolled it. She read the scroll, skimming over until she found the name of the Angel of Night."

_Not only is Leliel one of the most dangerous of shadow entities in existence, her unique basis within the power of Santeria makes her exceedingly difficult to combat. She possess many unique powers including the ability to turn the light of her soul inside out to produce an extra-dimensional non-space less than a micron is width but internally is limitless in size and scope. This phenomenon, called a "Dirac Sea" is difficult to describe without a firm grasp of abstract mathematics and non-Euclidean geometric structures._

_Probably her greatest ability however lies in her ability to seduce mortals with promises of power. Her abilities allow her to give the individual precisely what they desire. Shadow Mages are especially susceptible to her charms. If the pact is struck, she resides within the subject becoming a part of their blood in the process._

"Part of their blood?" Misato asked. "Is that a euphemism or is that literal."

"Quite literal," Maya replied. "Lord Helsing, you need to see this."

* * *

**Tokyo-3, Outskirts**

* * *

Another car flew past Rei at nearly blinding speeds, exploding as it struck a nearby building. As she stood up from the duck she had to dodge a shadowy serpent tail from whipping her then sideways dodge as another tail tried to entrap her. Her battle against Shinji became something akin to fighting not one but three supernatural entities at the same time.

"Nice moves babe!" Shinji said as if this weren't an actual battle and more of a sparing match. "I forget just how agile you are. God I want to see that agility in bed."

"That can be arranged Shinji-chan, just as soon as you get rid of your hitchhiker."

Shinji actually stopped for a moment at the realization that she knew. "Helsing talks too much," he said gravely. "I knew I should have killed him before I left, but he's just an annoyance. No… father is the real target. I can't wait until he's been eliminated; I have better things to do than worry about him."

"I'm more than willing to help you kill him my love," Rei countered as she watched the twin darkness serpents hiss at her. "But this isn't the time."

"This can't wait any longer," Shinji countered.

"Who says?"

The question made him stop again. Rei took her opportunity to rush in.

_**It's a trick! Stop her!**_

Shinji didn't do anything though; he was struck by her words. _Who says indeed? I know he needs to die, but what if Rei is right? What if we do need him for the time being?_

_**Don't be ridiculous! He's a bump in the road, nothing more! I can help you defeat the rest of the Angels, but we need to kill him first. The power in his hand will set us free!**_

_Again… "hand"… singular…_

His thoughts were cut off as Rei ducked under the dark serpent strikes and managed to cut into his side. Shiinji barely registered the hit but knew what had happened. One of his serpents managed to grapple her and toss her away but seemed to fade slightly after that hit.

Rei looked up in time to see something that almost made her sick. The blood coming out of Shinji wasn't blood at all, it was an inky black liquid, thick like some kind of gel. It fell partly from him but started pulling itself back into his body with a squelching sound and a look on Shinji's face that told of his discomfort and nausea at the feeling. Before it could pull itself in, Rei noticed something… a pattern of stripes on the surface of the gel that were white. It was an all too familiar pattern.

In her mind she saw the orb hanging over Tokyo-3, that horrible black orb with white stripes upon it. It was the shadow of the shadow. Shinji had always talked about the shadows beyond the shadows, how plans could be fit within plans. Leliel's attack destroyed a good portion of the city but what if it was simply to entrap Shinji, and force him into an unholy pact.

This wouldn't stand… Leliel had to be drawn out of Shinji, and if Leliel was within his blood…

Rei knew she wasn't going to enjoy this.

She drew upon her blood reserves to energize her body and suddenly launched into a direct assault. Shinji quickly went on the defensive.

_She's trying to kill me!_

_**So she couldn't be trusted after all. Kill her! It's the only way we're going to get through. She can be replaced after all…**_

_What?_

Shinji continued to block the oncoming assault by Rei. He seemed to be letting the shadow serpents do all the work for him, but she knew that wasn't the case. Leliel was controlling the shadow serpents, and as a result, Leliel was trying to kill her.

_That bitch escaped death once,_ Rei thought, _this time she won't be so lucky._

_**You must fight back against her! She'll kill us!**_

_I can't fight her like this, I won't hurt her. Please stop it!_

Rei was finally caught by one of the serpents and slammed into a car.

_Stop it!_

It coiled around her squeezing as the killer serpent head positioned itself over her heart.

_Stop it!_

It went for the kill.

_STOP IT!_

It was suddenly ripped back by Shinji's own shadow. With a warcry, Shinji used his katana and cut though the second serpent holding Rei. Instantly she was free and watched as Shinji seemed to be fighting himself. With the serpents in disarray, it was time to make her move. She pounced like a predatory cat straight out of the crouch slamming into Shinji with enough force to flatten him to the ground.

Before he could react, Rei extended her fangs and bit down on his shoulder, ripping though his outfit to puncture his skin. He cried in pain as Rei ripped the shirt away and sealed her mouth over the holes she made. He continued to struggle, but with his blood being drained he couldn't muster enough strength for even the most basic of spells. The veil and serpents disappeared with a ghostly echo as the struggle continued. But his strength was gone almost instantly, partly because of the blood drain and partly because Shinji knew she was saving him.

_**Stop her! Stop her my love! She's killing us!**_

_Not us…_

As the scream of Leliel faded away from Shinji's mind, Rei had to hold her gag reflex at bay. Not only was Shinji's blood sour from the invasion of Leliel, but the angel was doing her best to struggle in her gut trying to force her way out again, even if it was through Rei's body.

As soon as Shinji stopped struggling completely, she pulled herself away from him and got as far as she could. She could only manage a scant 18' before her body gave out and she retched out a mass of darkness. It felt to Rei like she was trying to regurgitate a mass of tar; grimy, burning, gooey tar. It caused her a lot of pain as she violently purged it from her system. It stunned her for a moment when the last of it left her, but she quickly recovered. The battle wasn't over yet.

The tar formed into a roughly female shaped mass and started crawling back towards Shinji as fast as it could. Rei drew one of her blades and tried to run her through, only to have the blade sink impossibly deep. When she tried to pull it out she broke it off and watched the remaining part of the blade sink into the darkness.

"Dirac Sea," Rei whispered. She was powerless to stop Leliel from getting back to Shinji. She had no way to kill her.

Just then, Shinji reached out towards Leliel.

_**Yes my love! Accept me back into you!**_

Shinji replied in just four words; "Go… to hell… bitch…" His hand closed as if squeezing something with the intent to crush it. Suddenly Leliel curled and convulsed. To Rei it looked as if her body was cycling in on it self. Her liquid surface was churning inwardly as if she had a drain inside and more liquid rushed in from the edges of her body. A scream tore from the black mass that echoed though her mind. Any normal person hearing the scream would likely have had their sanity shattered instantly by its sheer intensity. Finally, a small red sphere, about the size of a small orange appeared to be floating up impossibly where the liquid was going down, and part of Rei's first sword was spat back out of the crease, it was the part that was pulled into the Dirac Sea.

"That's my Shinji-kun," she whispered and she drew her other blade. With a scream of rage she brought the blade down upon it. The stress Leliel's body was going though trying to correct her inverted AT Field weakened her core to the point where a non-progressive weapon would be enough. With a scream of pain, her core was pierced though, and her body started to melt as if it were made of plastic and exposed to high tempertures. Within moments her body had evaporated with the exception of her core which crumbled into what appeared to be shards of broken glass, with the tip of the wakazashi imbedded in the street in the center of the pile.

At that Shinji's eyes closed and his hand collapsed onto the street. Rei dragged herself over to him desperately trying to wake him up.

"Shinji! SHINJI!" She cried out his name in desperation. Finally after what felt to her like forever, when she was just about to give up hope, he breathed out a moan of pain and she realized he was still alive after all. Her heart sank as she threw herself over him and cried.

Nearby, a car screeched to a halt. Out of the passenger side, Maya ran out going to Rei's side.

"We need to get him back to my apartment," she said quickly.

"What the hell for?" Misato yelled from the driver's seat. "He needs a hospital!"

"Sempai is at my place," Maya said.

"About… damned… time," came Shinji's voice weakly. Even in his condition he still managed to get Maya to blush. Rei chuckled despite how serious Shinji's condition was.

* * *

**Maya's Apartment, Less Than Half-an-Hour Later**

* * *

With saline and electrolytes flowing into Shinji intravenously as well as the vitamins and proteins he needs to create new blood, he slept soundly upon the bed in Maya's spare room.

Rei stood over his bed worried but relieved at the same time. For now the nightmare was over, and she got her Shinji back.

In the other room, a conversation was going on.

"Not surprisingly," Van Helsing began, "after we found out about Leliel, I dug up more legends revolving around her. Some say she was the first entity that existed when the world was a void, and that she had an extreme dislike for all living things. Her goal was to destroy creation itself, and so she was simply 'The Darkness'. But I don't believe this legend. I know for certain however that she was intent on getting into NERV."

"But why?" Misato asked. "This is something I've noticed but haven't had the will to voice my opinion on. Why are all the Angels coming to this patch of dirt? What is so goddamned important that draws them here?"

"Adam," Maya replied. "After talking with Kaji, the Order has been able to figure out that Adam is being kept somewhere within NERV itself. It's drawing them to this well defended city to be slaughtered."

"I might have guessed that. I assume you knew about this Rits."

Ritsuko put her coffee cup down. While she was no longer on the clock and had been all but living in Maya's apartment for a few days now, she had been giving the young tech more information.

"If you only knew the half of it," Ritsuko replied. "There isn't much I can tell you now that you don't already know."

As the conversation continued and notes were being swapped, Rei kneeled down next to Shinji's bed and sniffed him. He smelled okay to her now and that made her feel better, but he was mumbling something in his sleep. She leaned in closer trying to make out his words.

"Pow…er. Power… in… his… hand…."

"Power in his hand?" She whispered. "What the hell does that…" Then she started to put it together.

_He has to die._

The Angel was influencing him specifically to go after Gendo Ikari… but power in his hand? It was then that Rei realized that it has been a very long time since she's seen Gendo without gloves on, and she used to see it a lot, especially when she was uploading her consciousness to the dummy plug system. She could remember he usually held his right hand against the glass. Rei knew it was because he longed for Yui and she was her image given new life. But since shortly after Gaghiel, he'd never seen him do it again. He did it after he burned his hands, that didn't stop him, so that wasn't it.

"Adam is in his hand…" Rei whispered to herself, trying to comprehend the insanity of it. His flesh has been joined by that of an Angel. The thought of the extent he was going through to see his dream fulfilled made her want to puke again.

Leliel was right on one thing… Gendo had to die. And with only four angels left according to the Dead Sea Scrolls… his time would come very soon… she'd see to that herself…

* * *

**End of Chapter 19**

* * *

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est,_

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_

* * *

**A/N: **And so ends the five part series, "Descent Into Darkness"

This series was originally going to be entitled "Night Fall" but it sounded a bit final for something like this. I may save that title for the multipart conclusion of Bloodlust.

And now for Review Responses…

**gunman:** You have no idea how hard this series is to write for sometimes. There are so many different ways this story could have gone and yet this is the way it seems to be unerringly going. Shinji will be scarred from this experience for life, and it'll take some work for him to remember what acceptable behavior is and when killing is not the answer.

Van Helsing didn't want to kill Shinji, we should be clear on that. But if he wasn't worth saving, he'd have no qualms about doing it. There in lies the problem. Some things we need to remember… first he's a Vampire, and was a Vampire Hunter before that. Grim is part of his life, not just his job description. Secondly, remember who his sire is….

**Cyber-Undead:** I hope most of the questions you had were answered, but more are still there. We're still not sure what Korgan and the Shadow Council are up to. And the rest of the council has been pretty silent eh?

So whatever happened to Wraith? We'll find that out soon enough.

The wars being what they are will cause enough damage to bankrupt small countries, let alone the insurance agencies.

**nobodyreallyimportant: **Lilith will never stop trolling….

**DD42: **First you should probably get an account, then I can send you messages if you're curious about a lot of things. Kenjiro Umatsu (aka The Wraith) skimmed over the different branches of magic in chapter IV: Evolution, Part I.

Basically each of the three prime races (Humans, Lycans, Kindred) have two branches of magic at their disposal each for a total of six branches. Santeria is one of the two branches that belong to Humankind. This form of magic is basically church magic, or Wiccan magic focused from those witches that follow the path of light, with the general rule of "Do as you will but harm none". As a result Santeria focuses on Abjuration (protection), Mysticism (spirit and soul), Restoration (regeneration, healing and resurrection), and Divination (foresight and farsight).

Santeria however technically has a second branch of its own; a second paradigm similar to the way Shadow Magic is a different paradigm of Arcane magic. This is the dark side of Wiccan magic. It includes Satanists, as well as those who venerate the dark power for personal gain. Angels are said to wield the power of Santeria as it is said to flow from the one divine source. Angels like Leliel can tap into the negative side of it as well, which is why Van Helsing senses the mind control used on Shinji as a Santeria effect. The dark version of Santeria could technically be referred to as Demonology.

Kind of a long explanation and probably better handled in the story, but meh, I felt like answering the question.

* * *

Once again I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed or otherwise contributed to this work. See you next chapter.

We're closing in on the final chapters of the story now, its time for some of those long lost loose ends to tie together.


	20. Submerge

**XX: Submerge**

* * *

He wasn't sure how long it had been since he forced Leliel inside out but he knew it had to have been a while at least. As his eyes slowly opened he saw and felt Rei's head resting on his chest. He gently placed a hand on her head as the recent events of what happened to him replayed in his mind.

_I betrayed them all… all for power… what does that say about me?_

Shinji waved his other hand watching as a patch of darkness nearby expanded slightly and opened a window into the Shadow Realm. He closed it quickly.

_I still have the power she gave me… is it mine now? I'm not even sure I want it anymore…_

A burning sensation, barely noticeable was on his right shoulder. He carefully moved his shirt away from the spot and saw what he didn't want to see.

Arcane Symbols…

They were faint for now, but soon they would darken and form completely.

_Even if I wanted to give up the magics, I can't anymore. They're starting to become ingrained into my body, heart and soul. Mother… is this what you were worried about?_

* * *

**Two Rooms Over**

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Misato asked. "I mean, I don't have any training in your ways or anything."

"Think of it as an honorary position," Van Helsing replied. "You are quite resourceful and you have a position of envy inside of NERV. We need that right now and I know you want to help us."

The group was gathered around Maya's kitchen table. Van Helsing sat across from Misato. Maya sat at his right side, and one of Van Helsing's most trusted… Jacob sat at his left. Near the wall behind him, there was a lovely young woman who stood with her arm held behind her back in a style Misato had seen before in Rei. Odd symbols were visible tattooed into her right shoulder.

"I guess I can accept it then," Misato replied. "Who do I report to?"

"Maya would be best, she works with you directly."

Misato nodded her understanding. Her eyes trailed back to the young woman behind Van Helsing.

"I don't believe I've met your friend," Misato offered. Her curiosity was getting the better of her. She stood out as not one of the men Van Helsing brought with him. In fact… she didn't even remember seeing her arrive.

"Misato, this is Reina De Diamantes. That's Spanish for 'Queen of Diamonds'. She's a close friend of mine and a stanch supporter of the order."

"Now Abraham," She said as she got closer to the distinguished hunter, "we're far more than just friends." Misato watched the way this girls's hands gracefully snaked around his shoulders as she leaned forward. She saw the way Van Helsing seemed to relax into her embrace and noticed the slight redish glow in his eyes.

"You're a vampire," Misato noted.

"I am," Van Helsing replied. "Something of a guilty secret of mine that no one outside the order knows."

"That's gotta be hard," she mused.

"I've gotten used to it," he replied casually as his hands clasped over Lamika's. "So has my love. But this is a conversation best left for another time. We have work to do… now then. We know that Ryoji Kaji from Blacklight has been working for multiple organizations, like SEELE, as well as of course NERV itself."

Misato looked shocked at that information. She knew Kaji was underhanded but this was too much.

"Of course," Van Helsing continued undaunted, "his real master, the one he is really working for is Blacklight."

"So basically, he's working for the government and is a triple agent."

"We believe so yes."

"That figures," Misato grumbled. "He was always a flighty bastard."

"And he trusts you, which is why you need to co-ordinate with him."

"WHAT?" Misato exclaimed. "You can't be serious!"

"You have a history with him, he trusts you. In the off chance he's actually more interested in serving one of his other masters, we need someone close to him. You're the perfect person for this assignment."

"And if he does stray?"

"I'm afraid matters will be a bit messy," Van Helsing said gravely. "He may need to be removed from the picture."

"I see," Misato replied. "IF… it comes to that… I'll do it."

"Hopefully it won't," Maya offered. "We still think he's on the level. A lot of our information about Instrumentality came from Kaji."

* * *

**Spare Room**

* * *

The sounds of talking finally awoke Rei. As she sat up looking down at Shinji, she looked relieved.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked.

"Not long," he replied as he invoked a bit of time sphere magic to determine the exact length of time he'd been awake. "Just under five minutes."

"Now the tough question… how do you feel?"

Shinji frowned. "Terrible," he said without emotion. "I take it you did your homework on Leliel?"

"No, I saw her slipping out of your body during the fight when I cut you the first time."

Shinji frowned and turned away. "My betrayal runs deep I'm afraid."

"Stop it," Rei said with an inflection that made him shut up instantly. "Stop blaming yourself. I cheated on you once technically and you forgave me. It'd be poor manners if I didn't forgive you in turn."

"You're a vampire," he countered. "It's expected. I'm human, I should have more self control than that."

"It is because you're human that she was able to manipulate you into having sex with her." Rei frowned again and forced him to look at her. "Shinji… I forgive you. I forgive you because I love you, and because of that love we're still together despite everything that's happened between us."

Shinji sighed as Rei released his head. "But I'll never forgive myself."

"God, sometimes I want to smack you." Those words took him off guard. "This is precisely what your father wants from you, self loathing and depression. Stop it, you're better than that. And you damn well know you're better than that."

Shinji smiled slightly. "I guess you're right," he replied.

"Of course I'm right," Rei replied. "You shouldn't doubt me." Shinji laughed at her causing her to frown slightly. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"For a moment there," he explained, "you sounded like Asuka."

Rei looked shocked at that realization. "I guess she's had more of an effect on me than I thought."

"Maybe."

Rei sighed and got up. "Come on, we need to talk to Helsing and the rest."

Shinji nodded. "Gotta face the music sometime."

They proceeded into the main room where Misato was finally relenting.

"I'm going to hate this just so you guys know," she said. "For the sake of the future, I'll do it."

Helsing was about to talk when he saw Shinji walking in. His black outfit was fully repaired with no signs of wrinkles despite lying down for so long. He was missing his hat, but otherwise his outfit was fine.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as the others looked on with interest. It was obvious though, that Lamika was actually uncomfortable in his presence.

"Better," he replied. "I've caused all of you a lot of trouble. I'm sorry."

"In a way it couldn't be helped," Van Helsing replied. "But your apology is accepted. You'll be happy to know that the remaining members of The Black Rose have fled the country. They've likely returned to Romania."

"Good riddance," Shinji said with finality. "If I ever see or hear of them again in my lifetime, it'll be far too soon. As far as it not being my fault, I'm sorry Professor Van Helsing, but I don't believe that. I could have resisted her…"

"You would never have survived," he replied. "Leliel has captured the most powerful and turned them dark. Those who thought they were virtuous… it didn't matter. In the end, she got what she wanted. Now, she'll never bother mankind again. In a way, you were a part of that."

"I guess…."

"Don't beat yourself up Shinji-kun," Rei cut in before he could continue his self-loathing. I have already forgiven you."

"I'd love to continue this meeting, but I have business in Carpathia to attend to," Van Helsing said. "You all know what you need to do. I look forward to see you all again."

Shinji groaned slightly and sat down as the men started to disperse.

"You okay?" Misato asked as she came over to him.

"I'm still in a lot of pain from the transfiguration and having an angel living in my circulatory system," he explained. "It'll pass, but it'll take time."

As Lamika made her way out of the room, Shinji spoke up. "Why do you fear me?"

She stopped and looked back at him. "The darkness in your soul is palatable. I'm at one with the power of Santeria, you're energies are the anathema of that power."

"I'm your direct opposite," he noted.

"And nearly equal in power. You feel it don't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Lamika simply nodded and left. She knew differently, but didn't push. It was a touchy subject for him.

"What was that about?" Rei asked.

"I wish I knew," he replied. But even Rei could tell something wasn't right.

* * *

**Transylvania**

* * *

Devorn Kurst was one of the members of the Shadow Council. After hearing that Mastran Vile was murdered he decided to triple his guard at his manor house. The fact that a member of the council was murdered was bad enough, but whoever did it committed diablerie, killing the vampire by first draining it dry. This meant that the power that that vampire possessed was now at the command of whoever killed him. To say this was taboo would be missing the point. Korgan he recalled wanted to kill Rei because she committed the same act against his childe.

Could Korgan be behind this?

"Master!" he heard one of his men say as he approached. Turning in his chair he faced the man. "The south gate has been breached!"

"Lockdown the Keep, don't let them in!" he ordered fanticly.

"Too late, the south entrance has been compromised." The sound came from one of his system operators in his office.

"Stop them!"

Before they could act on this latest order, Devorn watched as one of his men suddenly began to slide in half before he burst into ash. It was an assassin in all black wearing a dull gun metal mask that was featureless except for the eye slits which couldn't be looked though from the outside. Devorn had five men in the room who pounced immediately upon the intruder, but they were all cut to pieces before they could even lay a finger on him. Devorn ran for the door dodging kunai thrown in his direction, but he realized that they weren't meant for him as his operator fell to her console with blades in her head twitching as signals weren't leaving her brain to her body at the moment.

Before he could get to the door he felt piercing in his hips and shoulders. His body fell limp unable to move his limbs as the paralythic blades did their work. He was dragged back into the room and flipped over pushing the blades though and out of his front. He screamed in pain as his attacker leaned over him.

"Councilmember Devorn Kurst," he said levelly. "It is time to die."

"At… at least show me who you are before you kill me."

"I wouldn't deny such a last request," the assassin said as he pulled the mask off of his face.

"No! It can't be!" he whispered as his assassin bit into his neck and started draining his blood. He couldn't even fight back thanks to the blades in his major nerve braches but felt the blood leaving him. His last thought was that he'd never get to see the paradise they were working so hard to obtain.

As the assassin stood up and walked towards the window away from the mummified body, the sounds of machine gun fire were prevalent in the courtyard below. A moment later, the thug known as Scabbard walked in with an M-60 slung over his shoulder and the belt of ammo leading to a pack on his side. The bullets glowed with an inner violet light.

"All witnesses are being purged as we speak," he reported. "I see you got him."

Wraith turned around facing Scabbard. "Two down, 10 to go."

"I can't believe you're going after the entire council."

"It's the next most logical step. Rei is dealing with NERV and soon Gendo Ikari's plans will be in shambles, the man dead, likely just after the last Angel falls. SEELE will attempt to initiate Third Impact but with Korgan leading them slightly astray, it will be all too easy to finish the job.

"They kept me in the dark about it for so long, never really telling me what the final goal of the project was, but now I know… The Black Earth Ceremony… Think of it Scabbard… Vampires instantly returned to their rightful place… knowledge of our weaknesses lost to man, the Nobles assuming control of their territories properly again."

"I know the details," Scabbard replied. "It was originally supposed to be a war that ended humanities reign on this world and allowed us to emerge. The Nobility would return after the council officially dissolved, safe in their bunkers and bring forth a new golden age for our people."

"Yes… indeed… but this is better. We'll gain the power of the Angels themselves and use it to rule over every soul. They were wise to hide this information from me… now their failure is complete. With this knowledge, I'll be able to hijack the Black Earth Ceremony and become the one true Vampire God-King. And you Scabbard will reap the rewards of your loyalty to me."

"I live only to serve," he replied immediately.

* * *

**The Next Day**

* * *

Shinji was at home, trying his best to rest. Rei was with him curled up almost on top of him as they both slept. Between him in boxers and Rei wearing on a T-Shirt and panties, there was little in the way of clothing separating them. Rei would have desired to finally consummate their relationship but Shinji was still a bit weak from his ordeal so she didn't push it, instead enjoying the closeness they had to each other. The sound of a massive explosion woke both of them up. Shinji still in some pain barely registered the Angel Alarms.

"You have to get to the Geo-Front," Rei told him as she tried to help him up.

"I can't…" Shinji replied as his body tried to seize up on him. "I can't fight like this."

"You have to try!" she replied. "The power I sense from this one is immense. I don't think Rei III and Asuka can handle it without you!"

Shinji nodded and struggled to get up.

* * *

**The Geo-Front**

* * *

"EVA-02 in position!" Asuka reported. She stood on a small island in the Geofront surrounded by weapons. EVA-00 was bringing even more weaponry over.

"This is the last of it," Rei III told her. "Let's hope it's enough."

"It better be enough."

A chain of explosions reverberated through the city above and a couple of the less well anchored buildings came loose falling to the Geofront floor. The sheer sound made by their collisions with the ground was nearly unbearable even inside of an EVA, and the debris kicked up by their crash down obscured vision. A massive explosion overhead caused the air currents to pick up pushing the debris away. Asuka stood in the circle of weapons and watched as the Angel made its appearance.

It reminded her of some kind of squid or octopus. Its central mouth roared as it descended, and many ribbon like structures fanned out around it. Spreading her AT Field, she grabbed the first two pallet rifles and opened fire, watching as the shots were unable to deal damage to the monster.

"What the hell!" she yelled over the noise. "It's like I'm not even hitting it! Aren't I eroding it's Gott Verlassen AT Field? Why is it still coming?"

Rei III grabbed two pallet rifles of her own and spread her field to help protect the two of them as she opened fire, hoping to punch though it's defenses. When their guns emptied they grabbed different weapons and kept firing.

"I do not believe we are making progress," Rei commented as four of the thing's ribbons launched forward in a blur. EVA 02 lept into the air barely missing being skewered on the ribbons as they shot past her from below. Rei rolled to the side and unloaded a pair of rocket launchers.

"Noted," Asuka replied as she landed on top of one of the ribbons and ran up it towards the monster. As she was just about to reach it, it suddenly retracted the ribbon throwing her back with the sheer force of the retraction.

Rei grabbed an N2 mine and rushed it like a linebacker dodging its attempts to slice her apart with its many ribbons. She impacted its AT Field and pushed forward trying to get the bomb to it.

Asuka got up in time to see that despite Rei's efforts, the thing was able to keep its AT Field strong. Asuka threw her field forward trying to fully neutralize the field and Rei finally managed to push through. The explosion that resulted was massive and EVA-00 was thrown back with most of its armor disintegrated and its right arm completely gone.

"You okay?" Asuka called out as the shockwave passed.

"This is not the first time I have lost an arm," Rei III replied. Suddenly out of the cloud of dark smoke and heat, there ribbons launched forward running EVA 00 completely through.

"Rei!" Asuka yelled and grabbed her progressive knife from the shoulder pylon. She saw what looked like one of the ribbons expanding at the connection point in EVA 00's stomach like a snake that just fed, and watched the bulge travel up the ribbon to the angel itself. In a burst of energy and odd symbols, the rear section of the angel formed into a body similar to an EVA only obviously female in gender. The white body stood on its own legs with the ribbons forming into something akin to a mane. Two more ribbons launched out into EVA 00 and Asuka was helpless to see the result.

EVA 00's head flew off and the second ribbon punched though the upper chest. She had seen Rei III go rigid in her plug a moment before the second ribbon struck then the cockpit lead went dead. She saw LCL fly out of the hole made in the back of the unit and had no doubt that Rei just lost one of her cloned sisters.

"Wir sind tot," she whispered as she mustered up her courage and rushed the massive Angel. When she closed with it, it dodged her attempts to cut it with her knife and struck at her with its own limbs.

* * *

**NERV**

* * *

Rei was helping Shinji though one of the halls moving towards the cages when she suddenly stopped placing a hand on her chest.

"Rei, what is it?" Shinji asked concerned.

"Rei III is dead," she replied. "The angel killed her."

"I'm sorry," he replied.

"They're just clones," she said offhandedly. "But it means Asuka is now alone. The angel is more powerful than any of us could have imagined. We must hurry."

* * *

**Geo-Front**

* * *

Asuka was trying her damnedest to land a killing blow on this thing but the one time she managed to get past its AT Field, the knife skittered off of the mane instead of landing a direct shot. Finally this thing got annoyed at her and backhanded her. To Asuka, it felt like she was hit with a wrecking ball as her EVA flew thousands of feet before hitting the ground. A blast from the Angel tore away huge sections of her armor and disabled her out of sheer pain. She fought a stress induced change, not knowing if the cockpit recorders were still functional or not.

With nothing left to stop it, Zeruel burst though the lower armor of the Geo-Front, breaking though the massive view screen in front of a stunned bridge crew. Misato could almost smell the thing's breath as it brought its head down and began charging a death ray that would kill everyone in the room and destroy the Magi. But before it could fully charge it was hit with a right cross knocking it away. Zeruel's attack went off anyway, but only served to blow open another massive hole in the roof.

EVA-01 laid into it with a fury unlike anything anyone in the bridge had ever seen, kicking it hard enough to throw it from the bridge and into the launch area. The EVA beat the hell out of the angel with constant pummels to the head and upper body. It was suddenly lanced though with three different ribbons though the shoulders and stomach. It was going for 01's core but it missed.

In response Shinji slammed it back into the launch rails pinning it there.

"Misato-san!" he yelled.

"Activate Catapult 3!" She ordered and Maya quickly complied, sending both the EVA and the Angel out of the cages and back into the Geofront.

Upon landing, Shinji was not on top and the Angel was beating on him just as hard as he was just beating on it. He kicked it off and continued to push the assault as they locked in vicious hand to hand combat. Shinji had the advantage but lacked the ability to push it. He felt like he was going to throw up and fought both the angel and his own mortality.

Suddenly his cockpit died and the EVA lost power.

"What?" he looked at his power indicator seeing all zeros. "No! No, no, no, no Shit!"

Zeruel wasted no time at all throwing Shinji's unit back into the Geofront and using it's ribbons to rip open the EVA's stomach revealing its core. It launched its ribbons at full speed into the core but didn't penetrate it.

Inside Shinji watched as the inside of his plug was beginning to crack.

"Not good, not good at all." He concentrated. "Mom… help me! We're in real trouble here and if I can't get this thing moving and now, we're both dead!"

Suddenly he saw the energy image of his mother appearing in the LCL. It was weak, and Shinji realized that his mother must still be weakened by the corruption of Leliel.

"Come on mom," he said encouragingly as more cracks appeared in his plug. "We have one last fight in us… let's make it a good one."

Outside, EVA 01's eyes lit up again as the ribbon was heading right for its head this time. Its hand came up and the ribbon hit the fingers, but split around them as if suddenly the fingers were stronger and sharper. The hand grasped the ribbon and pulled the Angel in coming face to face with it. They growled in each others faces before EVA 01 kicked it off, ripping the ribbon free.

It leapt at the angel but in that moment, Zeruel fired its primary weapon taking EVA-01's right arm off above the elbow. EVA 01 fell to the ground rolling to its side to get away from Zeruel.

In the distance, Rei watched. "He can't win…" she said gravely. "Even in berserker mode, this Angel is far too powerful."

In the cockpit, Shinji grasped his arm at the point the EVA's was blown off. But he wasn't yelling in pain, he was grinning. With a hand motion down his arm, a sheen of darkness enveloped it.

EVA-01 stood up and held the stump of its right arm forward. Rei and the Angel both watched in shock as dark energy formed into a new arm with a clenched fist.

"Time you learned what you're messing with," Shinji said as his eyes turned black in his plug. As EVA 01 started walking towards it, Zeruel opened fire with its main energy weapon again, this time, the shots didn't even penetrate the AT Field of 01.

Rei looked upon in shock and awe. "In… Incredible!"

EVA 01's eyes began to focus a silver light within them as its mouth opened and it roared at the angel. A blast of silvery light burst from its eyes and strafed the angel from crotch to crown causing it to arch back in pain. A burst of smoky energy emitted from the body as it split opened as if sliced along the line it was hit, its core visible and damaged from the attack.

Tendrils of darkness lanced out of the Core of 01 grasping Zeruel's core and ripping it out of the angel with a sickening sound. The two cores merged together though the dark energy and the damage to EVA 01 began to regenerate, its S2 Engine now fully functional. 01's awakening was punctuated by Zeruel's final death.

Suddenly EVA 01 powered down, now fully repaired except for its armor which was mostly damaged or destroyed during the battle.

* * *

**Later**

* * *

Rei IV was awakened by Gendo about two hours later. She was confined to the lower levels of NERV for a few hours as he needed to test if her soul did successfully transfer. Of course with the original still controlling her, Rei IV would check out just fine. But Rei had another problem, one she didn't know how to deal with.

Shinji had been absorbed by EVA 01. She learned after the battle was over that his sync score reached 300 and his body lost corporeality. Inside the EVA, Shinji and his mother have been reunited, but she had some faith that he would return… if he could.

While Misato screamed at Ritsuko, the doctor worked constantly to try to rescue the pilot from the EVA. But Rei knew it was up to Shinji now, if he wanted to return.

"Please," Rei IV whispered to EVA 01, "come back to me."

With tears in her eyes, she left the cage.

In the hospital wing, Rei IV entered Asuka's room.

"Version 4.0 huh?" Asuka asked as she walked in.

"Unfortunately," Rei IV replied. "How do you feel?"

"Better than you," she replied. "Rei… I'm so sorry."

Rei bit her lip and turned away from the werewolf. She was convinced that she couldn't comfort her now, but was surprised when a pair of arms wrapped around her trying to comfort her anyway. Despite the racial animosity… despite the jeering and the hatred between them, they did have one thing in common. Even Asuka was willing to admit at this point that Shinji was important to them both.

The vampire turned around and fell into the werewolf's embrace crying softly into her. Asuka stroked her hair and allowed her to let the tears run free.

"Why?" Rei asked between tears.

"Because as much as I think you're whore…as much as I think Shinji could do better… and as much as I'd like to see your entire kind dusted from the earth, I've actually grown to like you a little. And Shinji is important to both of us… you more so of course, but I know how cross he'd be if something happened to you."

Despite the insults in the beginning, Rei felt the venom was gone from them… they were just words now. Somehow, Asuka saw the light and didn't hold her nature against her anymore.

Miles away, in a chair in her hide out, Rei curled up feeling the hug through the residual synchronization with Rei IV and cried.

* * *

**End of Chapter 20**

* * *

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est,_

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_

* * *

**A/N: **Shit's getting real.

**gunman:** This is going to be a long response so grab a snack.

You missed that major plot point back in chapter 5 (Of Wolves and Bats). Van Helsing explained that he was a Vampire. His sire was Vlad Tepes Dracula who turned him because he wanted Van Helsing to have a weapon to use against the spawn he created. Dracula was killed before but somehow was resurrected. God wasn't through with him yet and so Dracula now walks the earth waiting for the end times. Knowing Van Helsing was a master of obscure diseases of the blood, he knew he would figure out the puzzle.

So Van Helsing experimented with his now vampiric blood and created the tonic used by the Midnight Order to enhance their abilities. It gives them the strengths of the kindred, but none of the weaknesses. The inner circle members have these powers permanently though an alchemical ritual, while the lower tier members must continue to take the tonic and exercise the training regiment to retain their powers.

For all members only the physical powers (speed, strength, sense, etc) were retained and none of the supernatural powers of the vampires are passed on. However order members taking the tonic and inner circle members do have a stronger affinity for magic than the average human does.

Next; killing Shinji was never Plan A, but he was perfectly willing to go though with it if he had to. He wouldn't necessarily like it, that's the difference. If you had the impression that he was ready, willing and wanted to kill him, that wasn't the intent.

Next; Since you asked if Maya was Van Helsing's sire, I'm assuming you're a bit fuzzy on the definition of Sire. So here it is. A Vampire's Sire is the individual that turned them originally. Van Helsing was Sired by Count Dracula, and Rei was Sired by Kenjiro Umatsu, aka "The Wraith". Maya couldn't be a Sire because she isn't a vampire. If Rei were to change Shinji into a Vampire, she would be his Sire.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way… I wanted to ask if you had any intention on finishing "Werecats of NERV". I read it recently and I might have some ideas on how to progress the story along. Let me know. The Batman TAS episode you were talking about (Tiger, Tiger) was one of my favorites from that season. I haven't seen it in years, but I still remember it well.

**nobodyreallyimportant:** The lulz are the only reason to troll.

**DD42:** Without being there advice would be difficult. I myself have been having odd issues with Fanfiction lately, mostly because of the changes I think in security. Sometimes when trying to upload data and make edits to my account or stories, it hangs, times out and I have to try again. It usually works on the second try and always on the third if necessary. This is the only site I have that issue on, and only when working with stories or profile. I can't explain why.

If anyone else reading this has any ideas, let me know. I'd love to know how to fix this issue and make it less aggravating.

**Cyber-Undead:** Shinji doesn't wear robes; he wears a trenchcoat and dark colored outfit consisting of a black button down shirt, black tapered pants and black boots. His combat style is very samurai-esque, when he's not using his pistols, which he hasn't been lately.

Hmm… maybe I should see if I can convince my friend Marco to draw that picture. He might be game, but he does mostly comic book crossover pictures.

* * *

Thanks again to everyone that reviewed. Only two chapters left before the multi-part finale.


	21. Above the Bitter Sky

**XXI: Above the Bitter Sky**

* * *

**Inside EVA-01's Core**

* * *

When Shinji arrived, he knew something was wrong. Gone was the serene skies, instead a certain darkness was all over everything. The skies were dark with clouds and the occasional bursts of light as lightning struck across the sky. He looked out over an endless ocean of LCL but it was tainted with crimson. The air was cold, the atmosphere foreboding.

"This is my fault," he said aloud.

"No my son," he heard his mother say as she approached from behind. "It is mine."

"Why?" he asked as he turned to her, seeing that her outfit looked ragged.

"I let what happened between you and Leliel take place," she explained. "I could have stopped it."

"Why did you allow it?" he asked, genuinely curious and not mad.

"You needed the power," she replied. "And she was able to teach you the one lesson I could not. No matter how much the mantra is spoken, no matter how much you learn of it, you must know it by your own experience."

"Power corrupts," Shinji answered, filling in the blank.

"And absolute power corrupts absolutely."

"Tough love," Shinji noted. "You have nothing to apologize for. I've come out the better for what happened. Most can't say the same."

"But I have suffered as well you see," she gestured around herself as she spoke. "The corruption within you was reflected here. Your corruption killed your friend."

"Touji… I could have stopped it… I should have."

"No you couldn't," she replied.

"Don't blame yourself mom," Shinji said as he stepped forward and took her arms in his hands. "You couldn't have predicted that outcome. There was no singular event that caused this tragedy, there were many. And like a fractal curve with a chaotic variable, the endpoint could not have been predicted."

"Studying chaos theory?" she asked. "I didn't know they taught that in high school."

"No, I got it from you… just now."

Yui chuckled lightly. It reminded him of his Rei.

"Please Shinji… stay with me for a while. I have seen the future… the end is coming. The moment we have been working towards will soon be here."

"Mom, were you really trying to get to Third Impact?"

"It was our intention to bring Mankind forward in its evolution… Eva was to be the key to that evolution, but no. I did not want to start an Impact. Now… it's inevitable."

"No!" Shinji cut. "Don't say that! We can still prevent it."

Yui smiled sadly. "No my son… you can't. I have used my powers to look into the future to every possible contingency… Third Impact is inevitable."

"I'll beat the odds," he said with resolution. "I won't let it happen."

Yui's smile left for a brief moment before it returned. "That's my little soldier." But she knew differently… she knew it was inevitable, just a sure as she knew Shinji would never accept that until it was upon him.

"Stay with me a while my son," she asked. "Help an old woman recover from her mistakes."

"I won't leave you until I must…" he promised and fell into his mother's embrace.

* * *

**NERV**

* * *

Misato was tired… Between trying to get her paperwork caught up and stressing out over the disappearance of her ward, she was strung out to the point of breaking. She also remembered what she was supposed to do for Van Helsing… even more stress would result from this.

As the elevator opened, she saw the last thing she wanted to see today.

_Speaking of which…_

"Ah Major Katsuragi," Kaji greeted her with his usual, way too happy tone. "I was wondering if I'd run into you today."

Misato briefly considered waiting for another elevator but decided this meeting was inevitable. She stepped in and the elevator continued on its route.

"Inspector Ryoji," she returned, mimicking his use of her title.

"How long has it been?" Kaji asked. "How long since we've had a chance to be alone like this?"

"Not long enough," she countered.

He faked being wounded. "Misato… really…"

"We're not doing this Kaji," she cautioned. "I need information from you anyway."

"Information? I'm not in the middle of any investigations right now…"

"It's not me who wants it… its Van Helsing."

He got quiet for a moment. "I don't know what you're talking…"

"Tell me something Kaji… have the birds flown south?"

Kaji froze… it was his and Van Helsing's personal sign / countersign to tell each other it was safe to talk. If she knew it then….

"They are long gone."

"That is good to hear," she replied. "Van Helsing has processed the information you gave him, but we need more."

"I'm not sure at this point what more I can give?"

"You mentioned SEELE was building something… nine somethings in fact. Are they close to completion? And do you know what they are yet?"

Kaji sighed as he stepped over to the elevator control panel and hit the stop button causing the elevator to freeze in its tracks.

"You're part of the Midnight Order now?"

"In a sense," she replied. "Van Helsing made me an honorary member. I haven't been fully brought into the fold, though I'd be more than willing to take that tonic he talked about."

"I see."

"Still reporting to Blacklight?"

Kaji looked surprised again. "Is there anything about me he hasn't told you?"

"I know you're in over your head," she turned to him now. "As much as I'd like to think I hate your living guts, there's still a small part of me that cares about you Kaji. You're playing a very dangerous game here… you know that."

"Yes, Misa-chan… I know all too well."

"Damn it Kaji," she half-shouted and punched him moderately hard in the chest. "I told you never to call me that! My father called me that, and he's the only one who I'll ever let speak that nick name."

"Sorry, Misato."

"Better," she said, calmer.

"I'm touched that you still care."

Misato sighed. "I need the information Kaji."

"Jeeze you're no fun anymore." He closed the gap between them rather quickly. Misato gasped as she found herself against the wall of the elevator. "Just once, for old times sake." It almost sounded like he was pleading.

"No," she said with finality, but he pushed forward anyway, as if driven on by animalistic lust alone. Misato squeaked in surprise and her body was trying to betray her. Finally, Misato got a hand loose and pushed him back. "I said no!" the last word punctuated by a slap across his unshaven face.

When his head snapped back his eyes were red and he growled like an animal. Misato's eyes widened at that realization, but Kaji quickly looked away and started breathing in such a way as to calm his bloodlust.

"What in the name of…"

"I'm… sorry… I'm so sorry. That shouldn't have happened."

Misato put a hand on his shoulder. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Well, you know how Asuka has an unhealthy obsession with me and she's my ward right?"

"Yeah? What does that have to…"

"Well… after I took her home from the Hospital Wing, I let her rest. Everything seemed okay but she's been having nightmares lately….

* * *

**36 Hours Ago**

* * *

Kaji woke up to the sound of muffled crying and realized he wasn't alone in his bed. He looked down to see Asuka lying on top of him wearing only her panties. To say this was a compromising situation was an underestimation in his mind as Kaji only slept in a pair of boxers. Her firm breasts were pushed against his chest, and he felt them move with every weepy sound she made. His body would betray him soon he knew.

"This can't happen," he whispered and he tried to move in such way that she wouldn't wake up but she clung harder to him. "Must be having the nightmare again."

Then he felt a tickle, like a hair in the wrong place on his stomach. He suddenly realized she was halfway changed from human to werewolf form.

"Oh shi-"

In her nightmare she jumped at her attacker. Kaji was not pleased to have pointed canine teeth sink into his shoulder tearing though muscle and flesh with equal fervor. With a grunt of both pain and surprise he threw her off while rolling out the other side of the bed.

He watched as she transformed on all four limbs into her full Lycan form. She was still asleep in a sense but now living out her nightmare in the real world. Kaji quickly retrieved the dart gun he kept in his nightstand for situations such as these and fired a dart into her neck. A canine yelp of pain later and she fell face first to the floor, quickly shrinking and returning to her human form.

Kaji rifled though his nightstand. "Where is it… where is it… where the fuck is it?"

None of his injectors where there… he finally remembered that after Asuka seemed to grow out of her clingy phase, he stopped stocking on the injectors. Each one was filled with concentrated extracts from the Belladonna plant, an extract that is known to neutralize the enzymes in Werewolf salvia that pass on Lycanthropy. But it had to be administered before the first full change of the victim otherwise the Lycanthropy would be permanent. He kept them incase she ever accidentally bit him in her sleep, always a possibility during her turbulent childhood.

And with the damage done to Tokyo-3, delivery vehicles would not come to NERV now, nor could he leave the city. He couldn't get any Belladonna extract for the foreseeable future.

"Fucking beautiful…"

* * *

**The Elevator, Present**

* * *

Misato leaned against the side of the elevator as she processed this new information.

"You're not just a mage then… you're a Lycan too?"

"No," he replied. "I'm infected, but I'm not a Lycan yet. I've been able to prevent the change using a special enzyme to counter it backed up with some magic, but it's not a hundred percent effective."

"I can't believe Asuka is a werewolf… but it makes sense now why she and Rei never get along."

Kaji nodded. "Unfortunately, being a carrier of Lycanthropy also makes me more animalistic in other ways… I did think about putting the moves on you, but…"

"That was aggressive, even for you. I've never had to slap you before."

"I'm sorry…" he replied. For a moment they remained silent before he spoke again. "The machines are EVAs."

"What?"

"The Mass Production Series, Evangelions 5 through 14. They'll be finished any time now. I have no information on who's piloting them or why they are even being built."

"It could be part of Instrumentality," Misato noted.

Kaji reactivated the elevator. "They're pulling out all the stops to get them up and running… because there are only three messengers left."

"How do you know that?"

"SEELE has the Dead Sea Scrolls, it outlines the time table for the angel wars. It speaks of 17 messengers. Adam is the first, Lilith is the second. Sachiel who attacked nearly a year ago was the third."

Misato remembered how Gendo had said to record the first angel attack as the third angel, but she never thought to question why the odd skip in numbering.

And there have been 11 angel attacks after Sachiel… 14 down, three to go.

Kaji nodded. "Time is running out… for all of us."

The doors opened and Kaji stepped out of the elevator, leaving Misato with a saddened expression and thoughts that only spelled out impending doom as the doors closed.

* * *

**Four Days Later**

* * *

The Fifteenth Angel had arrived… In high orbit over the world, a massive being seemingly constructed of crystal with six massive wings, literally miles long, floated in the silent stillness of space as if daring someone to attempt to dislodge her from her perch.

"This one defies all expectations," Ritsuko thought out loud. "There does not seem to be an AT Field but it was detected anyway, and it's just sitting there in high orbit unmoving." This wasn't the first angel to attack from orbit, but this one didn't make any move to attack yet.

EVA's 02 and 00, both repaired from the battle with the Fourteenth stood in the rain and waited for orders.

"What do you think Wondergirl?" Asuka asked Rei IV.

At her home, Rei was concentrating so she could be there to control the battle and talk to Asuka directly. Her lips moved but no sound came out. At the battle site however…

"I do not know," she replied in deadpan. "It appears closer to the classically accepted visual appearance of angels, but seems currently to lack any offensive abilities."

"Asuka," Misato called over the link. "We're sending up the positron cannon. It's the only thing we have that might reach the angel. You're a better shot with it than Rei, but she'll be there to support you if something goes wrong."

"Understood Major," she said immediately. "You can count on me." The weapon rose from the ground next to her and she put a hand on it getting it ready. Rei watched the sky with an ominous feeling.

"Something isn't right," she whispered.

Asuka hefted the weapon and kneeled down on one knee, steadying the massive bulk of the weapon and letting the targeting computer guide her hands.

"Looks like about a minute till lock," she reported. "Let's hope this thing will punch though her field."

"AT Field detected!" Shigeru reported. "The angel must sense what we're doing."

Suddenly EVA-00 was bathed in a golden light. Rei's eyes zoned out as the glow engulfed her. "What the…" she managed to whisper as she heard a loud chorus singing "Ode to Joy". It was a piece she recognized and actually enjoyed, but now it would forever be marked as something for her to hate.

She felt a presence enter her mind though the link with the clone. Trying to push it out, she actually beckoned it in and her worst feelings and thoughts were bubbling to the surface, dredged up by the power of the Fifteenth Messenger.

_Lust_

She saw Maya over her ready to lock onto one of her breasts.

_Gluttony_

She experienced the werewolf kill in front of Shinji where she inhaled almost all of its blood.

_Pride_

Final threats to the last remaining member of the Gallows End that survived, letting him go because she was feeling… generous...

_Wrath_

Murdering the Vamps and Lycans under the control of Steel Dawn.

_Sloth_

Draging her feet as she tried to decide the proper move after she infected the Chamber of Gaf.

_Envy_

Her secret jealousy of the power at the disposal of her friends.

_Greed_

She harbored every book on the black arts she could find.

_Betrayal_

Remembering her time with Maya, and her lustful thoughts of her own sire.

"_Stop it!"_

_**This is you… this is who you are…**_

At her hideout, Rei was curled into a ball as the pain reached a peak she didn't think it could reach.

"Stop it!" she screamed now. "Stop it please! I can't… I can't take it anymore! You're raping my mind!"

Asuka's heart sank as the waited for the crosshairs to line up. "Come on Verdamnt! Line up!" When it finally did, she pulled the trigger.

Densely packed positronic charges surrounded in a magnetic field launched in sequence towards the offending target but they lost momentum as soon as they hit the upper most levels of the atmosphere. They hit the AT Field of the angel and failed to penetrate.

"Help me!" Rei screamed as her EVA fell to its knees.

Gendo in the command center looked on impassively but was in realty both confused and frightened. This was not happening as the scrolls predicted, Rei was never supposed to become a target for this angel.

"Piolt Sohryu," Gendo said over the comm. "Listen to me very carefully… you are about to do something which will require you to witness things that you should not be privy too."

"Finally airing out your dirty laundry Commander?" she asked with obvious anger in her voice. "I don't care what you have down there but if there is a secret weapon in your arsenal that can kill this fucking thing, just tell me where it is and I'll use it!"

Ignoring her insolence he ordered, "Get to elevator 371, its 100 meters behind you."

"371? That doesn't…"

"It does… now move."

Asuka obeyed, and sure enough she saw a lift platform. She got on it and was taken down… and down… and down… when it finally finished its descent she was in a long hallway, EVA sized and lit barely. She ran down the hall towards a massive set of double doors.

"Behind the doors ahead of you is the bait we use to get the angels to come here. In its chest is a weapon of great power. Take it and proceed back to the lift."

"Understood," she said as the doors opened. For a moment she could only stare and gawk at it…

Its legs were gone…

Its arms were crucified…

Its mask had seven eyes…

"An angel…" Asuka whispered.

"Yes… the Second Angel… Lilith. In its chest you will find Lancea Longini."

Asuka saw the spear. If she understood the legends, this weapon could kill anything.

She heard Rei cry in pain again over the comlink, and dashed though the LCL to the Angel. She noted its wounds were bleeding into the LCL below.

"No…" she whispered as realization hit her. "its blood is the source of the LCL." She ripped the spear out of the Angel's chest trying not to think about the fact that she was immersed in and breathing angelic blood. Her friend was in trouble, she had to help her. Within moments she was locked into the catapult. "Send me up!"

The catapult launched her towards the surface. She hoped this spear had the power it was purported to have. As soon as she hit the surface, she actived her targeting computer and prepared herself for the shot. She knew she'd only get one shot at this and it had to count.

_You can do this… you can do this…_

The Crosshairs lined up showing the throw trajectory. She hefted spear, idly noting the prongs had twisted together into a single shaft and then stepped forward the requisite steps, letting the lance fly.

Asuka couldn't believe how fast the lance flew; it left a shockwave in its wake and opened up the sky over Tokyo-3 with its passing. In orbit, it passed though the angel's AT Field with no resistance and punched though the center mass of the angel. It shattered like glass and spiraled into the shockwave as it passed. Within moments, it was no more.

The light gone, EVA 00 fell face first into the ground. At home, Rei was breathing hard and crying as she tried to come to grips with her mind rape.

"Am… am I really so… evil?"

Rei always thought she was doing the right thing for the right reasons, or at least the wrong things for the right reasons… but she was still a vampire… nosferatu… an unclean bloodsucker… a parasite and a blight upon the world.

Inside the plug, Rei IV was little more than a broken doll. Being forced to act as a conduit for some of the worst thoughts and the focus of the worst case of psychic rape of all time destroyed her mind. Her eyes widened slightly as she breathed in sharply making a frightened sound as she did. A small dot of drool fell from her mouth and floated in the LCL as her mouth finally started to close. She pulled her knees into her chest, wrapped her arms around her legs and silently cried in the darkness of her shut down EVA

* * *

**Nowhere**

* * *

It was like a dark room with dark walls. In the middle of it, lay a new arrival. She was on her side, curled up with an arm under her knee. Her long white hair strewn around her as if she were dropped there. She made small sounds of obvious pain as she occasionally twitched. Her not visible right hand was against her chest between her small breasts about where her heart should be… her pain more than evident. She felt a hand on her shoulder and winced again, curling tighter.

"There there," a calming voice said. "It's alright Arael… you're safe now…"

"I… wanted to show her," Arael whispered in mixed pain and sadness. "Why couldn't she see?"

"It's not time yet my sister," said the boy who tried to comfort her, a boy in black slacks and a white button-up shirt. His white hair a chaotic mop upon his head, and his eyes shone a brilliant crimson as he leaned down to help her sit up. He placed his hand under her right to touch the skin over her heart as she arrived naked. "Rei is not ready yet. You should have listened to me."

"I'm sorry Tabris," Arael replied. "I'm so sorry…"

* * *

**Carpathia**

* * *

Rei had planned on attacking the heavily fortified fortress of the Black Rose, but she would now never get that opportunity. The walls were ruined by gun fire and explosions. The inside stained with the blood of many men, and deep within the keep, an evil man was about to get his just desserts.

Thane was suspended upside-down over the sacrificial pit of fire known as "The Hell Pit".

"If you only knew," Korgan began as he approached Thane, "how difficult it was to figure out who had my damn Crucible. Well, if you knew that, maybe you'd understand why I went through so much trouble."

"Please! Let me down! You have what you want!"

"You're right, I have what I want. But I'm also a sick, sadistic bastard, so since you decided you would use the Crucible for your own purposes, I think its only fair you become part of it as well." He signaled to his men who began to lower him into the pit.

"No please! Stop! I'll do anything you want! I can get things for you! PLEASE!"

Korgan walked over to the altar, where a young girl was lying. She was naked and obviously had been used in terrible rituals, possibly even raped repeatedly. Korgan thought she was probably around 14 or 15 years old.

"Bring her," he told his men. "I could use another slave." The screams of Thane woke her up but she was far too weak to resist and allowed herself to be taken away.

Thane's ashes were added to the Crucible; the power slave had become a part of the very thing he used to his advantage. Korgan saw that as justice.

* * *

**End of Chapter 21**

* * *

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est,_

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_

* * *

**A/N:** Time is running out… for all of us….

**gunman:** Those bullets aren't what you think they are. You see it was already explained that Vampires follow rules closer to Bram Stoker in this world. Vampires can move about in daylight but its not there normal time of day and they're weaker. The bullets serve two purposes. The ultraviolet light acts like sunlight which would weaken them considerably and make them easier to slay. But the fluid is composed of something else entirely… and you'll find out what soon enough.

**Belthasar:** You're the only person who pointed out the major oops. I didn't even realize it happened until you pointed it out. But you are right. Gendo did want to arrest Ritsuko because he believed she should have been able to tell the difference.

For the benefit of everyone who is now curious as to what actually happened there and what was supposed to happen but was never put into the story due to a massive oversight on my part… here is the explanation.

Ritusko is not just a doctor of course but an engineer. You have to be both to build EVA, so in order to hide the fact that Rei was a Vampire, she managed to overwrite the security footage from the lab. She was lucky Gendo didn't watch it in real time otherwise he would have known sooner that she was a vamp. She forged the date stamp on a copy she did of an earlier exam, and then submitted the falsified report. Ritsuko would have used her knowledge about Vampire mind control techniques to explain how she may have been unable to tell she was a vampire ("I noticed I was feeling a little woozy"). As important as she is to NERV, Gendo would have accepted the information given and exonerated her, though there would always be just a small smidgen of doubt in his mind.

Hope this clears things up.

**nobodyreallyimportant:** lol! Yeah, shoddy craftsmanship is shoddy.

One chapter until the multi-part finale… and you will learn just how much of a liar I really am.


	22. Twilight Cascade

**A/N: **Warning: Lemon Content – Reader discretion advised.

* * *

**XXII: Twilight Cascade**

* * *

With a lurch, Shinji felt his soul pass from one reality into the next. Now naked on a catwalk, he coughed up the LCL and tried to get up only to suddenly be bear hugged by Misato.

"Damn it Shinji!" she cried. "Stop doing this to me!"

Shinji settled into the embrace and smiled. "I'm sorry Misato-san," he said. "I had to help her… she was so lost…"

"Help her?"

Shinji realizing what he just said shook his head. "Too much…" he whispered and then stood up. Realizing he was naked on the catwalk in front of the bridge crew, service personel and everyone else who happened to be in the cages at the time he looked about seeing all the faces staring at him.

"Geeze, you'd think none of you have seen a naked boy before. Would someone please get me a fucking towel! It's cold as hell up here!" The laughs he got were well worth this indignity.

* * *

**Later**

* * *

In the car on the way back to the Katsuragi apartment, Shinji was pretty quiet. Misato sought to break that silence.

"What did you mean back there?" she asked. "You said that you had to help her."

Shinji sighed. "How much do you know about EVA?"

"Not a lot, just what they tell me. I know it fits into SEELE's plans somehow to start Third Impact and is our best and only weapon against the Angels."

"My mother is in there."

The bluntness of his admission caused Misato to slam on the breaks. A simple word from Shinji kept him from pulling against the seat belt at the sudden stop allowing him to stay comfortable.

"What?"

Shinji sighed and turned towards her. "When we synchronize with EVA, we're synchronizing with the soul within the core. Each EVA has its own soul. Mom's accident allowed her to become part of EVA. The mother's love protects the child… everything is symbolic. Being in the entry plug… Rei said once it felt like being in the womb. Pretty close when you think about it. It's mostly safe, warm, full of vital fluid, protected from shocks, we can breathe the fluid and we are connected though it. The A-10 Neuro-link may as well be the umbilical cord to EVA."

"Oh… my God." Misato looked pale. She'd been having so many revelations this week; it was finally starting to weigh upon her just how insane everything was.

Shinji spoke a few words and the car began to drive itself. This took Misato by surprise but she just held the wheel and let it happen.

"Is there anything you can't do?"

"I don't know. There are a lot of things I've never tried to do, mostly because I've never bothered to."

"When you were lost in EVA," Misato admitted, "I… I didn't know what to do. Everything changed."

Shinji sighed again. "I didn't realize it would take so long… the corruption I suffered at the hands of Leliel… it affected EVA greatly. Mom was so sick…."

"I can't imagine what you're going though," she added sadly.

"I have Rei," he replied. "She's been one of the few things keeping me sane."

Misato's smile took a mischievous turn. "How is she in bed?" she asked lecherously.

"I'll tell you later after I found out," he countered taking Misato off guard.

"My Shinji-kun is all grown up… not so easy to tease anymore."

"I've… been though hell Misato-san… utter and complete hell… I had to grow up otherwise I'd never survive. But even now it feels so… forced, like I'm not the young man I should be."

Misato shook her head sadly. "We've asked you kids to grow up long before you were ready. But we had no choice, only children born after The Second Impact could pilot EVA."

"I know Misato-san… I know."

The rest of the drive was in silence as each reflected on their own failures and tragedies. Shinji concluded that he was lucky to still be alive, not that he didn't already know as much….

* * *

**Later, Rei's Hideout**

* * *

When Shinji arrived at Rei's hideaway, he wasn't expecting the greeting he received. She was wearing a shirt and shorts from his perspective and not much else. As soon as he closed the door she jumped him, pressing him against the wall and shoved her tongue into his mouth. It wasn't simply the same kind of kiss he'd give her in their alone times… it was far more desperate.

In all this time, Shinji had never actually consummated their relationship. With everything that was going on, how could he? There never seemed to be any time. This time, Rei was not taking no for an answer.

Since Rei knew that Shinji created most of his clothing using Shadow Magic, she had nothing stopping her from tearing the offending cloth off of him. His trench coat had long since fallen off his shoulders, but his shirt was gone in a split second. Shinji broke the kiss long enough to pull Rei's shirt off over her head, revealing she didn't bother with her bra today. Since she seemed to be in the mood for rough at the moment, he spun her into the wall, effectively trading places with her and kissed her again, trailing down her neck to plant tiny bites on the way. Each squeeze of her flesh seemed to excite her further as her sharp nails clawed at his back. He found himself happy he knew how to heal fast.

When he reached her left breast he clamped his mouth around the areola and went to town on her hardened nipple. She cried out in pleasure at this new feeling. Even Maya wasn't this skilled and she likely had more experience than Shinji did, but the way he swirled his tongue around her erogenous zones made her dizzy with pleasure, and she knew by now her panties were ruined.

"Shinji," she managed to whisper between pants… "I… want… to taste you…"

Shinji knew what she was talking about and broke his hold over her abused breast long enough to whisper, "soon my love." His hands pulled off the last two pieces of cloth on her body and he proceeded to taste her. Though from Rei's perspective, this wasn't what she meant at all. She didn't get to think that though; the sudden assault on her most sensitive places eradicated anything remotely close to a thought process. Only animal lust and instinct remained, as he somehow managed to hit every sensitive location without even trying.

Rei didn't hear it, but Shinji had snapped his fingers at some point while eating her out which caused his last remaining articles of clothing to unsummon themselves. Before she could orgasm, he stood up and kissed her again. Her left leg came up and he entered her as if he'd done this a thousand times. The sudden pain of her hymen shredding at his entrance only served to push her over the edge and she went rigid, breaking the kiss before they really got anywhere with it. Her back arched exposing her neck line as her head tipped back, and Shinji took the opportunity to lightly bite her neck at the point he knew she was most sensitive. The shudder of pleasure she gave off at the bite intensified her orgasm and at first she was simply unable to make any sounds due to the intensity of it.

When she finally got her breath back, he heard the intake but she was still unable to make any real sound. The orgasm was extended taking nearly 12 seconds to finally calm down, it left her weak for a moment as Shinji removed his mouth from her neck, but he didn't give her time to recover as he started slowly pumping into her. Rei couldn't believe how sensitive she had become. Her right leg came up holding herself to Shinji as he slowly continued to penetrate her, the pace now far less frantic.

She didn't know how he did it, but her legs bent at the knee as they both ended up on her reclining chair, her on his lap as he leaned back turning the recliner horizontal. She kissed his neck, asking permission and he nibbled her ear in consent. She licked his neck as his hands roamed her body before she finally found the proper point. Rei at last bit into the sensitive flesh of Shinji's neck feeling it give easily as if even the tensile strength of his body relaxed and allowed her the privilege. There was a definite sound of pleasure from her willing victim as the teeth penetrated the vein. When she started to drink, she was not disappointed… it was sweeter then the finest wine, and twice as powerful. This time, Rei was more than willing to become blood drunk on him; the experience would not be marred in her mind.

Revealing to her that he apparently got off on bloodletting, his languid pace at intercourse started to intensify. The taste of his blood combined with his expert handwork started to push her towards the edge once more. She kept drinking, each mouthful intensifying her nerve endings and pushing her ever closer towards a second climax this evening.

When Shinji finally started feeling light headed, he pinched her right nipple lightly and she understood the signal, licking the wound as she removed her mouth then returned to kissing him deeply as he continued to slowly make love to her. The taste of his own blood in her mouth was an odd sensation, but he found he actually liked it a little. Their closeness was quickly pushing both of them to the final conclusion as Rei's body clamped down on him and she let out another silent orgasmic cry. The squeeze was all Shinji needed and with a grunt he couldn't quite stifle, he reached his climax as well.

For several minutes they stayed in that position, her head next to his while she laid on top of him. He was still buried up to his hilt within her and they both tried to catch their breath. While Shinji's hardness did break briefly, when she sifted her position slightly and rubbed her still hardened nubs against his chest, he hardened up again and twitched inside of her. She moaned again in pleasure and surprise.

"Again?" she panted out, almost exasperated.

"Why not? We've got all night."

She chuckled and moaned slightly again as his body twitched within her once more. They didn't even bother changing positions as they stared into each others eyes and began again.

This would be a night to remember….

* * *

**The Next Day**

* * *

Shinji woke up to the sound of his cell phone ringing. Since the number of people who had access to his phone number could be counted on the hand of someone who had a fireworks accident, he knew it couldn't be good. It took him a second to untangle himself away from his love as she was still asleep and curled around him, but at last he managed to do so. Retrieving his coat, he found the phone and looked at the message.

REPORT TO NERV: BLUE PATTERN DETECTED AT 13:14 EAST OF TOKYO-3

"Angel…" he whispered. "Why today of all days?" To say Shinji was upset was an understatement; he was planning on spending the entire day with the girl he loved. He should have known that something would go wrong… something always went wrong.

He snapped his fingers instantly generating a new outfit that appeared on his body and threw on his trench coat. Rei was now staring at him but she wasn't saying anything. The phone woke her up too, but she didn't want Shinji to think her sleep was disturbed. As he turned back to her, she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

He walked back over to her and kissed her on the cheek. "Time to go save the world again," he whispered.

The angel alarms hadn't gone off yet, so he knew she still had time to rest. They would likely wake her up.

"Not the best alarm is it my love?" He conjured a new wide hat for himself putting it on before fading into the shadows.

He stepped into the Shadow Realm. Here time flowed differently, allowing him to quickly travel wherever he wanted to.

_Why do I still have these gifts? _He thought. _I shouldn't and yet it's as if I assimilated them from Leliel._ He looked around himself seeing everything in darkness and dark hues, tables were eskew, the chair looked slightly twisted and everything looked like it was undergoing some kind of bizarre entropy. This was the source of Shinji's power, the twisted reflection of reality.

The Plane of Shadows… Shadow Realm… The Lost Reflection… it had so many names, much like Hell had so many names.

Gehenna… Dante's Inferno… Hades…

He started to wonder if they were all one and the same… if the Shadow Realm was in fact Hell. Did that make him a demon? Maybe mom allowed herself to merge with EVA to escape hell…

He shook his head; these thoughts would not lead anywhere good. He proceeded out of the apartment and into the streets of the abandoned part of town. Here, the dilapidation of the buildings and streets was even more noticeable as the taller buildings resembled winter-struck trees without any kind of foliage and twisted branches like gnarled claws. The chill in the air passed though him as if he didn't exist but he didn't shiver, it felt like a power spike to him. If he concentrated he could make out the shadows of things in the material universe, but the images were like a faulty recorder, updating randomly so it was impossible to determine where they were at any given point in time.

It was like watching a hall of ghosts as he got closer to NERV. He was passing though the most populated part of town now, one of the few places where there was any significant population left. They were already in the process of trying to leave. Little did they know they would have to abandon their preparations and run to the shelter soon.

A low droning caught his attention, it was so hard to make out but the reactions of the people in the streets made it obvious as to what was happening in the real world. The Angel Alarms were going off, the drone was so low because it had just started and it was slowed down by the difference in the way time flowed between the realm of darkness and the world of light.

He was close enough now; it was time to get back into the real world. He walked into an alley, taking care to ensure that he was alone and then stepped between the realities. The low drone suddenly increased in both volume and octave as he caught up to the normal flow of time. Running across the street, he entered NERV and made his way to the cages. With EVA 00 and 02 still damaged beyond the ability to function, his was the only active EVA. It was the only thing keeping Gendo from putting the now S2 equipped monstrosity on ice.

* * *

**Shortly Thereafter**

* * *

When Shinji hit the surface, he wasn't sure what he was looking at. It resembled a DNA Chain constructed in a perfect circle.

"Be careful Shinji-kun," Misato ordered. "We still don't know anything about this one."

"Understood," he replied and took up the pallet rifle.

He proceeded in a wide circle, moving from hill to hill. Watching it closely, he stretched out with his magical gifts without calling his aura to see if he couldn't divine something about this particular angel.

The probing got its attention and it broke its helix structure for a single white strand. It wormed though the air at lightning speed heading straight for EVA-01.

Shinji managed to dodge and threw out his AT Field to neutralize the field of this lightning worm. As it tried to double back, Shinji opened fire, firing quick bursts before side flipping away from its strike. The strike managed to hit the umbilical of the EVA.

Gendo inside the command center stood up. This wasn't something he wanted to see. With external power gone, EVA-01… Yui… would likely try to activate the S2 Engine before battery reserves went out. He wasn't sure if the Angel could start an Impact with EVA-01 but there was always the possibility.

And with Lancea Longini imbedded in the moon, there would be no stopping it.

Shinji watched as EVA-01 switched to battery power. He knew the risk of starting up the S2 as well as Gendo did and hoped that the three minutes he had left were enough to finish this thing. Dodging another attempt to strike him, he opened fire again, but even with the AT Field eroded, its body seemed to shrug off the pallet fire. He began to wonder if the body was actually made of some form of energy.

The next attack took off the armor on 01's shoulder and stung Shinji.

"Getting sick of this thing," he grunted under his breath. The next time it tried to pass, he grabbed it with his left hand and used a foot to hold it down. At point blank he unloaded the pallet rifle into it but appeared to do no damage. In the plug, Shinji noticed the veins in his hand were starting to erupt and become visible though the plug suit.

"What the hell?"

He kicked the thing away watching as his hand returned to normal. "It tried to assimilate me?"

It struck again, this time taking out the pallet rifle. Shinji managed to grab the thing before it plunged into his core, but the force behind it was making this task even more difficult. The veins already erupting in his hands again.

"Back off!" He yelled as he tried to pull it away. The back end of the angel whipped up striking him across the face hard enough to break his concentration and hold. The front of the angel penetrated the armor over 01's torso easily and pushed into the core. Shinji doubled over in pain in the entry plug as his veins erupted from the point of impact quickly spreading throughout his body.

"Fuck!"

It pushed into him harder causing his back to arch painfully. Seconds later, he felt himself inside some form of non-space. He looked around seeing he was still in his plugsuit but now waist deep in some kind of LCL sea.

A girl stared back him… she could have been his sister.

"What the hell are you?"

"I am Shinji," she replied in a voice similar to Rei's.

"You got that wrong bitch," he replied. "I'm Shinji, not you."

"And we are becoming one," she countered.

"Not if I can help it," he groaned as he felt the pain erupting again, and watching as the veins erupted in this metaphysical body.

"That's too bad," she said sadly. "It's happening anyway."

"An Assimilator huh," Shinji said aloud as he focused his energy inwardly to try to push out the infiltration into his body. "What will you angels think of next."

Then it hit him… he felt isolated in this place, he could no longer return to the entry plug even when he tried. Rei was beyond his reach, he couldn't hear the cries of Misato and the rest of the bridge crew… he was alone…

"My sisters are dead," she said to him. "and now you will feel what I feel."

"Loneliness," Shinji surmised. "You want me to feel isolated too. You think you've found a kindred spirit… well you're wrong!" His last word punctuated by the veins reversing back to normal and a slight shockwave rippling across the LCL.

Armisael gasped as his power for a moment before adjusting to it.

"You're kind are trying to destroy my entire race because a few people got it in their head to do something stupid. Sorry, but that's no excuse for genocide. And if you insist on trying to finish to job here, then you'll join the rest of your fucking race."

"I see," Armisael replied as her eyes turned black. Shinji felt his confidence slip as a shadowy aura surrounded the copy and the LCL faded leaving them both on dry ground. Shinji's outfit changed from his plugsuit to his normal nightwear, and Armisael's clothing mimicked it. "Unfortunately, I can not accept that. As it has been decreed, so shall your race perish. I shall destroy you and take you body. With it I will penetrate the depths of your so called fortress and find the All-Father. Then your race will end."

"You have my face. I'm willing to bet you're going to mimic my powers too. Think you can handle them?"

"Your question is irrelevant, and soon you shall be nothing more than a memory."

"Have it your way then."

For a moment, neither one moved. Outside where EVA-01 was balled over as the last of Armisael entered the core, a dome of black energy surrounded the EVA. The bridge crew could do nothing but watch and wait to see what happened next.

Both Armisael and Shinji ran in the same direction parallel to each other and drew their guns at the same time. Both opened fire and their shadowy bullets kept hitting each other without actually reaching the other target.

"You're trying to counter my attacks and force a stalemate," Armisael noted. "You are foolish. I have already invaded your EVA, soon I will awaken its core and use the power to finish you off. Your strategy will fail."

"You think so? We'll see about that."

Armisael called a Shadow Serpent to strike at Shinji. He countered it with a dark shield that knocked the serpent away before firing back with a blast of pure negative energy. Armisael easily dodged it before switching to a shadow steel katana and rushing in. Shinji changed weapons at nearly the same time and blocked the attempted strike. Obviously getting frustrated with him, Armisael launched into a time sphere enhanced series of attacks. Shinji however was able to mimic the spell at exactly the same time causing him to fall into the same time stream and easily deflect every attack.

"You are a fool," she said again. "You'll fail."

"My strategy seems to be working so far."

On the bridge Maya reported that EVA-01's battery would be dead in 10 seconds. After that, it would switch to S2. For the first time in his life Fuyutsuki actually watched as the Bastard began to sweat.

_Not so sure anymore are you Ikari?_

Inside the reality, Armisael kicked Shinji away. He flipped back and drew his hand back as Armisael launched a bolt of dark lighting to try to finish him off. Shinji fired off one of his own and both met in the middle rippling against each other trying to push though.

"Times up Lilim!" Armisael said triumphantly as she tapped into the S2 engine of EVA-01. "You lose."

"Don't be so sure," he said as he let go of his bolt of lightning and threw his left hand forward instead. Armisael's bolt reached his hand and he was blocking it with ease. Energy gathered in his right hand as he shifted his fingers into a position to snap them. To Armisael's shock the energy wasn't black...

… it was white.

"Twilight… Cascade," Shinji whispered and snapped his fingers a second after the last syllable.

Instantly the air around Armisael shimmered with motes of both black and white energy.

"What is this?" she cried. "I don't know this spell. You can't possibly know this spell if I don't! We're linked!"

"You saw I was a Shadow Mage, that my power was arcane and twisted in darkness. You gripped that power and made it your own, and at the moment the S2 went live, the influx of energy changed your very nature to pure darkness… but you didn't dig deep enough into my arsenal… I know just as much about Santeria now as Arcane Shadow Magic."

"Impossible!"

"Oh it's possible… because mom knew it too. I've just never had much use for it until now."

The motes of energy grew in size as they rolled between the white of pure divine energy and color of a twilit sky.

"This spell is one of my own making. I was planning on using it against Thane… but now is as good a time to test it as any. Goodbye Armisael, it was nice knowing you." Shinji held out his right hand with fingers opened. He then clenched his fist causing the supercharged motes of mixed Divine and Arcane power to converge on Armisael. The resulting detonation destroyed her spiritual body nearly instantly.

Outside, the dark dome around EVA-01 shattered revealing the angel was completely gone. All traces of the blue pattern had been annihilated. EVA-01 threw its head back and roared its triumph as Shinji reawakened inside the plug.

He made it look so easy… but Shinji knew it was only blind luck that Arimsael didn't dig deep enough into his knowledge; otherwise she would have used that spell on him. _I guess not even angels are perfect, _he thought as he relaxed in the plug. He silenced the S2 Engine allowing the EVA to deactivate in a normal standing position and called for retrieval.

Gendo collapsed into his chair breathing an audiable sigh of relief. For a brief moment, he had felt panic, his stern composure shattered. He was reaching his wits end.

Shinji silently sat within his plug awaiting retrieval. Beneath his plug suit on his right shoulder, the marks that had been building for some time were now perfectly clear. Like Lamika he had become one with magic itself and was now… an immortal.

* * *

**End of Chapter 22**

* * *

_Sanguis meus fervidus est,_

_Sanguis meus avidus est,_

_Sanguis tuus suavis est,_

_Sanguis tuus iucundus est_

* * *

**A/N:** Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of Neon Genesis Evangelion: Bloodlust. Just as with Tempest Æterna, I'll be releasing all of the chapters that comprise the finale at the same time. As before, I'll ask that any reviews based on chapters 23 and later be withheld until the last chapter has been released. At the current time I still don't know if the finale will be 2 chapters or 3 chapters in length.

**gunman:** Chapter 17 was when Touji was killed by Shinji. He was under Leliel's influence and couldn't control his anger. Someone noted that his anger would get him in trouble one day… they weren't kidding.

The only thing that kept Kaji from becoming a Lycan himself was the fact that he always kept Belladonna injectors on hand if Asuka ever accidentally bit him. Circumstances being what they are, he neither has them nor does he have the ability to get them which means unless he can keep the change from happening via the Enzyme, he's destined to become a Lycan.

**Karibanu:** I'll do you one better…. Go to YouTube (watch?v=fEx4LyhLWpA)

**Cyber-Undead:** Not so much a time jump and more of a "everything is happening faster".

**Dessel Ordo:** (Chapter 1 Response) Hope you enjoyed it so far. Gonna wrap it up soon, only took 3 freaking years.

Thank you again for all of your support. See you soon.


	23. Nightfall, Part I

**XXIII: Nightfall, Part I**

* * *

It's been three days since Armisael's defeat and EVA-02 has finally been restored. EVA-00 was declared beyond repair, but no plans were put forward to replace it. Misato wondered about this but knew it was because the endgame was almost upon them.

Shinji for his part spent the last three days with Rei and no where else. He was currently trying to cook something for his morning breakfast, when he heard a knock on the door.

"No one should know we're here," he whispered as he approached the door. Rei who was standing nearby drew one of her blades and moved to the far wall where she would be behind the door.

Shinji opened the door and was surprised to see who was standing there.

There were two people; a boy and a girl. Both had white hair and red eyes. The boy wore black pants and a white button shirt with short sleeves, the same outfit he usually wore to school. The girl was in a white sundress and she looked very frail. Her hair was very long.

"Can I help you?" Shinji asked politely.

"Shinji Ikari?" he asked.

"Who wants to know?"

"Forgive me," he said quickly. "My name is Kaworu Nagisa, and this is my sister Ayame. We need to speak with you about urgent matters that affect your very near future."

"I see," he replied. He didn't need his powers to tell him that they were using assumed names, and that they were likely not what they appeared to be, but he didn't sense any outward hostility so he decided to play the game for the moment. "Come on in, I was about to cook breakfast. Are you hungry?"

"No thank you," he said politely. "I can smell you are cooking a western style breakfast, likely with eggs and bacon. Neither I nor my sister can stomach meat."

"I thought as much," Shinji replied. "So… 'Kaworu'… As you probably guessed, I'm Shinji and that formidable looking girl with the blue hair behind you is my wife, Rei."

"Wife?" Kaworu replied. "I see no ring."

"I haven't made one for her yet. Never the less we are joined in each other's eyes."

"I see."

"Onii-sama?" the girl said to get the boys attention. The next string of syllables that came from her mouth where beyond his ability to understand.

"I'm quite sure they will understand imouto," he replied. "And you can speak their language; they're going to learn anyway."

She looked uncomfortable with that staying just behind her 'eldest brother'.

"Why so nervous?" Rei asked the girl.

"Our first meeting was not very good," she replied.

Rei blinked then finally it hit her. "Arael?"

She nodded nervously.

"Then you're the Seventeenth," Shinji observed.

"That is correct," Kawrou replied. "I am Tabris, Angel of Free Will. My sister Arael escaped permanent death by shedding her angelic form, but the damage done to her was… severe. She's vulnerable and has felt nothing but guilt at what she did to your wife.

"Why?" Rei asked. "That's all I want to know."

"You are not ready," she said. She tried to sound polite about it, but it came off as she was afraid to say the words. "You… your time is coming soon, but you carry too much guilt… you can never be the conduit in your condition."

"Conduit? For what?"

"Third Impact," she said with finality.

"Doesn't matter," Shinji interjected. "I'll never let it happen."

"Haven't you figured it out yet!" Arael said with a much stronger voice despite herself, and Shinji was taken aback by her sudden show of strength. "It's unavoidable! One way or another it's going to happen and it's going to happen soon!"

"You'll have to forgive her," Tabris said as he placed his hands on his sister's shoulders to calm and reassure her. "She can be quite vocal when she wants to be. I've given up my right to begin the White Earth Ceremony. I have destroyed my angelic form and now remain a Nephilim."

"What?" Shinji exclaimed. "Why? I thought all the angels wanted to end humanity."

"My sister and I are the last of our kind," he explained. "I could not leave her alone. Had I decided to attack NERV, you would likely have ended my existence. Where would that leave my poor sister? As the Angel of Free Will I had a choice to make. My choice was my last surviving family member, not the dictates of the All-Father. Our time has ended. The Lilim have earned their place in the world… but now they must go forward from here."

"I refuse to believe Third Impact is inevitable," Shinji argued.

"Then you are a fool," Tabris said with finality causing Shinji to gape at the lack of tact behind his words. "But that doesn't matter. You can try as you like, but in the end, the truth will become apparent to you. When it is over, my sister and I will witness the rise and fall of Instrumentality. What happens after that is up to the two of you."

"Is that what you came here to tell me?" Shinji asked, now slightly annoyed at the entire situation.

"Mostly," Tabris replied. "But there is more. The night is finally falling… a true darkness. My sister and I have seen it, but we don't know if it's a possible future, or the one you will create. There are forces that will attempt to end everything now. With the destruction of my angelic form, the final seal has been shattered, and the door is open to begin Instrumentality. How it ends is up to you."

"There has to be a way to stop it," Shinji insisted.

Tabris smiled sadly. "You can't," he nearly whispered. "The pieces are in place, the current has shifted in favor of Instrumentality… in many ways it has already begun."

Shinji watched as both of the angelic children began to glow white, and he knew they were leaving.

"Good luck Shinji," he said as his from became immaterial.

"For what its worth," Arael added, "I'm sorry… for everything."

As they faded away, Shinji felt a fear within his core.

"I don't believe it Rei," he said, though even he felt his words lacked strength.

"I know my love," she replied as she held him from behind, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I know."

Rei's cellphone began to ring. It was her private phone, one she got after Gendo tried to kill her. But only a few people had her number and they were all important. She let got of Shinji and picked up the phone seeing the number she worried immediately as to what it was about.

"I'm here," she said.

"We have serious problem," Van Helsing said over the line. "I need to talk to Shinji. Is he there?"

Rei handed the phone to Shinji. "It's Van Helsing," she explained. "He wants to talk to you."

He looked at the phone a moment before putting it too his ear.

"Professor?" he said.

"Shinji… your order has been destroyed."

"What? When?"

"Two of my best agents were sent in to see Thane since we haven't heard from him lately and we wanted to try to negotiate with him to stop using the Crucible. The agents reported that every mage in the fortress was slaughtered. They found scraps of clothing belonging to Thane. It appears he has been burned in his own Hellpit."

"The Cruicble?" At those words Rei looked on worried.

"Gone," he replied. "Who ever is responsible for the destruction of your order has it now."

"We have to get it back," he replied. "It's far too dangerous to be allowed to remain at large like that. It should be kept by your order and sealed, never to be used again… destroyed if possible."

"I share your feelings Shinji," he replied. "The evidence we have found indicates that vampires were involved in the attack."

"The Shadow Council?"

"It looks that way," he replied.

"Wonderful."

"There's more. Word has reached my ears of a civil war breaking out amongst the vampire clans. Nine members of the Shadow Council are dead."

"Korgan among them?"

"We only wish," Van Helsing replied.

"Then he's likely behind the murders. His own agenda must be close to completion. What can he do with the Crucible?"

"What can't he do, that artifact has tremendous power."

"Does it have anything to do with Third Impact?"

There was silence on the line as Van Helsing considered his response. "Perhaps," he said at last.

"See what you can find out," he replied. "But hurry. I have it on good authority that SEELE is likely to make their move very soon now. They'll need the EVAs and Adam to do it. Both are in NERV."

"If I were them, I'd send the JSSDF to attack NERV and retrieve what is needed."

"Precisely what I was thinking they'd do. Everyone is converging on NERV, that's where all the tools are. If Korgan is trying to start some odd variant of Third Impact using the Crucible of Souls, he'll need to bring it with him. I better get down there."

"I'll try to get some of my better people to the city as soon as possible… but they may not make it in time. It may be up to us."

"I know." Shinji hung up giving the phone back to Rei.

"I'm going with you," she said.

"No way, If Gendo sees you he'll try to kill you again."

"It won't be the first time I've been inside NERV since he tried to kill me… and this will be the last time I go in that place."

Shinji looked at her levelly. "You're going to kill him aren't you?"

"Shinji-kun, I know you want to do it yourself, but you are the only one out of our entire team at this point that can locate the crucible. They need you on that. Don't worry. I'll deal with your father, and I'll make sure he suffers as much as possible."

"Alright," he relented. "We'll take the Shadow Realm; it's faster and more discrete." He held out his hand. She took it and they both slipped into the world of nightmares.

* * *

**NERV**

* * *

A single guard stood outside the main entrance of NERV rather bored with his job. He didn't seem to notice the black clad special ops solider creeping up behind him. He was grabbed and before he could struggle, a blade was put though his back and into his heart from behind. As he fell limp, the doors were opened and more spec ops entered the base. His body was dropped as the rest of the Spec Ops members entered the base.

But before they reached the escalators they heard a growl.

Looking back they watched in horror as the guard they killed was getting back up. His eyes locked with theirs and they were red.

"Surprise," he said showing his fangs. "You're fucked."

Suddenly Werewolves came out of the woodwork. In a panic, the invaders opened fire with their submachine guns, but they were quickly ripped apart

Inside the base, Gendo watched the display of butchery on his monitor.

"Nightfire is doing their job well," he said. Knowing the JSSDF were likely to attempt a break in, Gendo replaced the normal NERV security detail with mercenaries from the special unit called Nightfire. They were an all supernatural assault force that would take any job for the right price. Once they were done with the initial attack, they would find the outside assault forces and begin to rip them to pieces as well.

With dark clouds descending over the city, today was the perfect day for them to operate.

* * *

**NERV, Living Area**

* * *

Kaji was losing the war with his body. The enzyme wasn't holding up as well this time and if he took much more, he could kill himself in the process. He fought the change as much as he could but he couldn't hold on much longer.

"There has to be something I can do," Asuka said tearfully. She knew Kaji… her Kaji didn't want to become a Werewolf and she knew it was her fault this was happening.

"It… it couldn't be helped I guess," he said as he held himself trying to resist becoming a beast. "I rolled the dice a lot with you back when you were just a little girl… I guess I had to lose some time."

"But…" At her word the intruder alarms went off.

"The attack is starting," Kaji said. "SEELE has the JSSDF under their thumb and they're using them. They'll attempt to kill the pilots of the EVAs so they can't use them in combat. Get to the cages! Go!"

"But you'll…"

"Can't be helped at this point. I just hope… hope that the beast knows who to kill… Now go!"

Asuka swallowed hard and ran, she cried as she did so, knowing she couldn't help her poor Kaji-sama now.

Kaji for his part was breathing hard and sweating. His eyes glowed with a red inner light.

"Should have known… Even Asuka's Lycanthropy is irrepressible." Finally for a brief moment, his breathing stopped being so heavy and Kaji knew he just lost the battle.

"Fuck… me…"

He threw himself onto his back as the pain was intense, his bones began to snap and rearrange themselves as his canine teeth began to grow. He opened his mouth in obvious pain but no sound came out as his fingers and arms lengthened, turning dark and becoming covered in black fur. His face snapped and lengthened into a muzzle, and the last phase of his transformation was complete. He rolled onto all fours, shaking off and howled.

* * *

**Elsewhere in NERV**

* * *

Rei appeared out of the shadow of a soda machine in one of the lower level break rooms.

"I better find that crucible," Shinji said from the shadows. "It must be on its way here."

"Good luck my love," Rei replied as Shinji stuck his head out of the shadows to kiss his beloved.

"To both of us," he whispered as he parted from her, and suck back into the shadows.

As soon as he was gone Rei sent a telepathic message to the Chamber of Gaf.

_It's time._

Once sent, she made her way to the Commander's office, knowing he would take his private elevator down to Terminal Dogma in order to force Rei IV to begin Impact. She had to make sure she was in position first.

* * *

**Outside**

* * *

The battle against the JSSDF hit a fever pitch as Nightfire was joined by Evangelion 02 piloted by Asuka. The heavy vehicles and aircraft they brought were no match for the EVA as it tore its way though the aircraft attacking though the hole in the roof of the Geofront.

Suddenly the aircraft dispersed and escaped though the hole. Asuka knew what was coming. Apparently so did Nightfire as they found cover moments before the N2 Mine hit Tokyo-3. Asuka put her AT Field up to full as the roof literally disintegrated above her, and she watched as the aircraft swept in as soon as the blast was gone.

"So much for only putting up with a few at a time," she lamented. "Oh well, its more fun this way." Her grin spoke much of her desire to get into direct combat. As the JSSDF Ground Forces invaded the Geofront, Nightfire struck back with a vengeance making them pay dearly for every yard they took on the way to NERV HQ.

* * *

**Office of Gendo Ikari**

* * *

Gendo watched as Nightfire was forced to fall back to more defensible positions. It was almost time he realized. Ristuko already informed him of an attempted hack of the Magi, but the evolving defenses created during Iruel's attack months ago gave them a distinct advantage against them.

They wouldn't get the quiet takeover they wanted. Gendo saw to that. But now supernatural agents were brought to bear against him, and the battle took a decidedly animalistic turn. All the better as far as he was concerned. Fuyutsuki was taking care of things on the bridge, so it was time to begin the final phase of the plan. He proceeded to his hidden elevator down to Terminal Dogma, knowing… or rather believing that Rei IV would be waiting for him down there.

* * *

**Outside**

* * *

Asuka watched as the last of the JSSDF flying vehicles decided it would be best to leave. She thought them cowards as they fled, never once entering her mind that she'd been killing men, not monsters. Asuka was beyond caring. An explosion registered behind her… they hit her umbilical.

The Three Minute Countdown began.

She watched as several white figures dropped from massive transports high overhead, opening white wings as they fell, gliding gracefully in the air, spiraling down.

"The EVA series," she whispered. "Good. I was hoping for some real opponents." She watched as they circled lower taking up a classic encirclement position around her. As their wings sunk back into their bodies, she thought about how vulture-like they looked. Each was armed with a massive double sword.

"So, I have less than three minutes to kill nine targets. About 17 seconds per kill… but no pressure." She smiled sadistically and licked her lips as her eyes turned red. She took off in a run, her EVA a blur of red as she went and leapt upon the first target, pushing her EVA's hands though the jaws with little resistance. She landed behind it as it began to fall back and caught it in her hands holding up above her head.

Her mind went back to the last battle she had in Germany against the armed thugs. Mimicing her previous action she held the body over her head and twisted until it exploded into a shower of blood, letting the liquid wash over her EVA.

"Erste."

* * *

**Terminal Dogma**

* * *

Korgan found it all too easy to bypass the security at the lowest levels of NERV, especially since he got the information from Nightfire. He laughed at his own ingenuity, manipulating several of Gendo's closest aids into convincing him to hire the mercenary team in the first place. He didn't ask how they got the information only that they were able to get it. Now it was just a matter of breaking into Heaven's Door and waiting for Gendo Ikari to show himself. Then they would kill Rei, take the embryo from his hand and use it along with the Crucible to begin the Black Earth Ceremony.

If only the rest of the council were still alive. He didn't know who was behind the assassinations, but now that he was the last remaining council member, he was going to take the rewards. Someone had to after all…

As the door opened revealing Lilith, he found he was not the first one there.

"I was wondering what was taking you so long," came the voice of Kenjiro.

"Wraith," he said unhappily. "I see you somehow managed to survive the purge. Cockroaches always have a way of surviving it seems."

Wraith laughed at the comment. "Indeed. Do you have the embryo?"

"No, Gendo should be on his way down here though. Then the ceremony can begin. But you know, now that I'm the last remaining council member… I don't have to answer to anyone else… not even that fool Yasrin."

"You're right," Wraith added, but his smile never left his face.

"Kill him," he told his men.

The next thing he knew, he was run though with an ornate blade from behind. His men not lifting a finger to help him. Wraith walked towards him now, chuckling as he went.

"Nightfire?" he asked sardonically. "I'm the one who created them. I put the team together myself with a few elites. They've always been loyal to me. It's not my fault you decided they were too damned useful to you."

"You… bastard…" Korgan managed to get out.

"Oh my dear Korgan… you don't know the half of it. The council? That was me. I killed them all and I took their blood."

His eyes widened at the implication of this. Taking the blood of all of the council members would make him a nearly unstoppable force of a vampire. He wouldn't even need the conduit to help him. He could focus the power though the Crucible lone.

"I see you figured out why I committed Diablerie against all of them. I need that power in order to control the Impact myself. It would have taken the entire council plus a conduit of some form… Lilith behind me in this case." He gestured to the behemoth on the cross behind him. "But now I need none of them. In fact, I'm going to do the act here so she can see the fall of her precious human children as they are subjugated by me, the Vampire God-King! Once more the Vampires shall rule the earth! And… we shall have… peace…"

He laughed at that last part as if nothing more than a cruel joke. Korgan, even in his fright recognized his last words being a mockery of Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars Episode III.

"God damn freak," he got out.

"Guilty as charged," Wraith replied as he extended his fangs and bit Korgan without ceremony. Korgan fought back as much as he could, but being impaled made that difficult. All too soon, the last drops of his blood went into the traitor and he became a dried husk.

"Shall I behead him?" Scabbard asked as he pulled his ornate weapon from the body.

"No," Wraith replied. "I want his dried husk… as barely aware as it is, to witness my ascension to godhood.

Scabbard found that fitting.

* * *

**Nearby, The Chamber of Gaf**

* * *

Gendo had checked much of the labs in Terminal Dogma but he couldn't find Rei IV anywhere. Finally, he decided to check the Chamber of Gaf. Upon entering he stopped noticing instantly that something was wrong.

The tanks were empty… there were no clones.

"What the…" he whispered as the reality of that set in. He checked the destruct procedure but had not been activated. The clones were simply gone.

As he puzzled over this, he heard a familiar sound. The giggling of the clones, but the sound made him freeze, it was coming from outside. He ran to the door opening it and there he saw them…

To the left were several of the clones blocking the hallway, still naked and still dripping with LCL.

"How did you get out?" he asked as he approached them. Suddenly the stopped giggling and stared at him. They did it all at once causing his blood to freeze in his veins. Their eyes began to glow and they opened their mouths revealing sharpened canine teeth.

"No…" he whispered realizing that the original's Vampirism somehow infected the entire lot of them. "No!" he yelled as he turned and heard more giggling.

The other end of the hall had the rest of the clones. He was cut off on both sides now as they slowly closed the gap. Seeing no where else to go, he ran into the chamber again, sealing the door behind him.

Breathing hard, he tried to calm his heart. He locked out the keypad knowing that they could use the biometric sensor to open the door otherwise. For the moment he was safe, or so he thought.

"Hello Commander," came the voice of Rei. He looked into the darkness and watched as she slunk her way from behind the main cylinder. She was dressed in her hunting clothes and had her blades and tools with her. Her eyes glowed and her teeth were already visible.

"I should have known," he said as he drew his pistol and opened fire. But Rei was far too fast for him easily dodging the shots to get within point blank range of him and slicing his hand off at the wrist.

With a cry of pain he backed away. His right hand still gloved and on the floor. She put her blade away and pushed him against the wall.

"All my life you preached to me about my purpose… MY purpose was to die, and bring you back to your beloved Yui. You feed me poison to keep me passive, you disciplined me to make me submit, and I know in your mind you did worse things to me. You wanted me to replace her at one point. I know the look of hunger in a man's eyes now, I understand what it means."

"Rei… please!" he pleaded.

"Begging Commander? How pathetic. I thought of a thousand ways to kill you, but in the end, I felt only one punishment was good enough. You used me, now I'll use you."

She savagely bit him in the shoulder tearing the flesh there with fervor. He screamed in pain before being unceremoniously thrown to the floor still bleeding. The room smelled of blood… his blood.

"My sisters have had nothing to drink but the stale LCL you left them in all this time, and they're ravenous. The bite is a curse… a blood curse. By now you've noticed that you've bled at least half a gallon of blood on the floor. You should be light headed but you're not. The blood curse is causing your body to produce blood at a very rapid rate. It's a useful little blood magic spell I picked up from the books my Sire gave me a long time ago. I was told I had gifts when it came to magic, but I didn't really care to study them too closely. I really wanted this spell though, and for just this occasion."

She forced the lock open allowing her hybrid sisters to wander in, drawn by the scent of blood. The oldest of the clones, Rei IV in fact, had enough of a developed mind to act human, but the younger ones, the ones turned in a final orgy of blood and lust were still of animal intelligence, working off of instinct alone.

"No! Please! Stop this!"

"My dear Commander Ikari… You're going to suffer a lot before you die." She picked up his severed hand and placed it in a bag on her side. Rei was very careful not to touch the skin, allowing the cloth to separate her from the embryo for fear of losing her AT Field and starting Third Impact.

_It isn't plan A, but if there is no choice… I'll do what must be done. _She hoped in reality she would be looking for a way to permanently dispose of the hand.

Finally it was time to finish the job. Rei walked back over too him as the clones waited patiently. She pulled him up by his coat and licked some of the blood from his skin, her eyes lighting up as she did so.

"This will not be over quickly," she promised drinking more of his blood, "and you will not enjoy this."

She then grabbed him by his head and walked around so she was behind him, positioning her mouth by his jugular vein before whispering one last time.

"I am not your doll." She then tore into his neck causing him to scream in pain. Immediately her hybrid sisters fell upon him biting where they could, lapping up the gallons of sweet blood his body was overproducing due to the curse. His screaming was quite a pleasant sound as the feeding continued, providing a fitting backdrop to this scene of gore and insanity. Rei was very happy to know that Shinji's liking of the blood draining ritual was from his mother's side and not his father's.

Outside in the hallway, the last of the sisters entered the room as Gendo's screams got ever louder before the door silently closed and blocked the sound.

* * *

**The Cages**

* * *

Shinji couldn't catch up with the Crucible, it was hidden from his sight. Cursing his bad luck he ran for the cages when he realized that Asuka was by herself out there fighting the MP EVA's.

_I hope Rei can figure out how to stop Korgan._

"Well Mom, what do you say to one last battle?"

EVA-01 in response lowered its hand to him.

* * *

**To Be Continued…**


	24. Nightfall, Part II

**XXIV: Nightfall, Part II**

* * *

As the last of the Mass Production Series fell before Asuka's Wrath, she turned in time to see a blade flying at her face. She threw up her AT Field to stop it and stop it did, but it hung in mid air twisting into a proxy of Lancea Longini.

"The Lance?" Asuka cried in fear as it pushed though her field with little resistance. She tried to dodge the attack but it was heading straight for her eye.

Suddenly it was nailed out of the way by EVA-01. In the same motion, Shinji placed a hand on her EVA and spoke a few words in an arcane tongue. Asuka watched her timer shift from almost 0 to all 8's as if she were connected to the umbilical.

"What the?"

"Consider it a gift, it won't last forever."

Asuka watched as the torn and damaged EVAs were getting back to their feet slowly.

"I destroyed them!"

"Apparently they're made of tougher stuff than we thought."

Both units went back to back as the circle of nine badly damaged units began to close.

"They're going to focus on you," Shinji told her.

"Why?"

"They need my unit for the Red Earth Ceremony, mine is the only EVA derived from Lilith, all the others were derived from Adam."

"How do you know that?"

"Because Mom knew."

As the circle of EVAs closed Shinji and Asuka acted as one, covering each other as they took the offensive. Blood flowed across the landscape again as one by one the MP EVAs were torn asunder by the two battle worn Evangelions.

Asuka, already enraged at these monsters shifted partially between her human form and her lycan form. Her physical form changed little but she developed the dusting of red fur across he face and her canine teeth both top and bottom were visible. EVA-02 reacted looking somewhat bestial and growing a set of razor sharp claws on both of its massive hands. She put these to good use, ripping and tearing at the MPs as they tried to take her down.

The restraints over her EVA's mouth broke and the head elongated slightly, showing a nasty set of canines. Now she was biting and clawing her targets like an animal.

"Fight on Asuka," Shinji whispered, as the newly defeated units again began to rise.

* * *

**Terminal Dogma**

* * *

Scabbard was well outside of Heaven's Door now. His men were busy trying to find Gendo Ikari, knowing he knew where Adam was. Hearing something that sounded like claws on steel, he looked back down the hall but saw nothing. He drew his ornate silver edge blade and waited.

Suddenly he was blind sided by a massive claw. Blood filled his vision as the claw managed to cut his head pretty badly. Be spun around in time to see a massive twelve foot tall Lycan that was nearly void black with blood red eyes stalking around him on all fours.

"What… the… fuck…"

Over his lifetime, Kaji had been bitten a total of 12 times by Asuka, the lastest bite constituting unlucky 13. Though the injectors stopped his Lycanthropy each time, a small bit of Asuka's disease stayed in his system, dormant. Over time, repeated bites built up quite a bit of the dormant disease within him. Combined with Kaji's use of magic, the Lyncathropy became more and more enhanced. When it was finally allowed to take hold, the disease infected every cell of his body at once in a supercharged fashion.

It was the biggest goddamned Lycan Scabbard had ever seen with teeth that glistened like metal and claws that looked like they could shred an armored car easily.

"Like him?" He heard a female voice say.

He turned and saw Rei there, she already looked bloody from feeding but he knew she was likely just getting started.

"I have no idea how he got this way, but he can do a number on the mercenaries."

"How did you know the mercs were not on your side?" Scabbard asked.

"Simple, one of them tried to kill me. Didn't work so well. Now where's your boss."

"Lilith's chamber, beyond Heaven's Door."

"Thanks," she replied. "Kaji… kill him."

Scabbard managed an "oh shit" before Kaji jumped him. Even his finely crafted silvered sword would be of little help against a lycan of that size.

"Good bad dog." Rei said and rain for Heaven's Door as she heard Scabbard's screams of pain.

* * *

**Outside**

* * *

EVA-10 managed to get a good grip on Asuka's unit as EVA-09 ran it though with a proxied lance. The sudden penetration caused her to scream and her instruments to go crazy.

"Asuka!" Shinji yelled and reached his had out toward Asuka's unit, pulling her though time space. With an odd squelch and sudden displacement of LCL, Asuka appeared in the plug still groaning in agony. She managed to look out the view port of the EVA in time to see her poor Evangelion get ripped in half by the two MPs.

"So much for that," she said between gasps. "Now what?"

"I keep fighting. I'm not giving up."

"They keep getting back up, we can't kill them!"

"I think its time to see what I can really do," he said as his hands began to glow black on the controls.

The MPs tried to restrain him, but now Shinji was focusing his magical power though the EVA itself unleashing torrents of black lightning into the MP's as they tried to attack him. Left and right, they were being thrown back. His AT Field forcibly threw another one back as he used telekinesis to fold one of them in half at mid back before throwing the carcasses into other units.

Asuka couldn't believe what she was seeing. EVA-06 managed to get a hold of him, but Shinji had his progressive knife out and carved him a new chest cavity before kicking the remains away. With a bestial warcry Shinji threw himself into the battle even harder. "I won't let you defeat me!" he screamed as he fought his heart out. Even Asuka was frightened of him now as she dew back further from him and tried to all but disappear into the murky LCL.

* * *

**Lilith's Chamber**

* * *

Wraith watched the man sized doors get kicked open in a spray of ashes as Rei entered the cavernous room. She was bloodstained but Wraith could clearly see it wasn't her blood.

"So… the Childe has returned," he said with a smile.

"Kenjiro," she whispered as she walked in. She looked to the ground next to her and saw a mummified corpse.

"Korgan I presume," she deadpanned.

"Correct, he was the last."

"You killed them all." It was statement, perhaps an observation.

"I need their power Rei, in order for this to work."

"This was the plan all the time. The Council was planning on hijacking Third Impact from SEELE. Gendo was planning on hijacking Third Impact from SEELE, and you were planning on hijacking Third Impact from the Council. I was never meant to stop anything other then Gendo's Senario."

"Now you understand," he said.

"You," she whispered. "You USED ME!" her last words screamed out and echoed over the caverns. "You used me just like Gendo used me. I was just a means to an end."

"Two for two," Kenjiro commented. "When I was turned by Korgan, he made me a deal, and told me I would be part of a great awakening for our people. I was supposed to be his heir, but I was passed over for another, one you killed and committed diablerie against at the Gallows End. Seems like such a long time ago doesn't it? Turning you alone was enough to stop Gendo's Senario, and that was part of the plan from the council. The rest of the work you did all worked out even better than I thought.

"Your role during the Lycan incident with the Steel Jaw Tribe and Steel Dawn… brilliant. I really didn't think that would go as well as it did."

"What do you mean by that?"

He chuckled lightly. "It was I who suggested to Rudolph Heidegger to finger Asuka as the Destroyer of the Line of Fenris. I had a lot of preparations to do that involved maneuvering pieces into place to ensure the council would be in the proper locations around the world, locations where the other members wouldn't find out they were being killed off until it was too late. The distraction in Tokyo-3 worked out perfectly for that purpose.

"Oh and the DNA leak to Black Rose? Again… me. Thane was quite happy with such a useful string of girls with which to leach energy off of and attempt to make shadow mages. He never did get to tell you just how many clones he made before he got Nyri."

"You," she whispered as she felt her blood begin to boil.

"I can't take credit for everything though. I had no idea you would go so far as to commit vampiric genocide on your own kind in the city and just so happened to get Korgan so hopping mad about his lost heir, that he never saw what I was up to. Korgan was probably the only one who had the resources and contacts to keep track of me to that point, but he was so full of himself with his desire for revenge that I was able to move virtually unrestricted.

"Plans within plans within plans my childe… If I learned anything from the fictional Emperor Palaptine, it was that."

"All this time," she whispered. "All this fucking time, I've been playing right into your hands… and I trusted you…. I TRUSTED you."

"You had no choice at first, you were my childe, and I was your sire. I was a little worried you'd start to catch on after I released you from that bond, but your trust in me blinded you."

"I did start to mistrust you… after the apartment incident."

"But not enough to pursue me," he noted.

"No… my greatest mistake though all of this."

"So here we are," Kenjiro said with a flourish. "I'm sure you are going to try to kill me now, just as assured that you have the embryo of Adam in that bag on your side."

"You need it," she said. "Come and get it."

"If you insist," he replied as he drew the blade out of its sheath tossing the useless cover aside to place both hands on the hilt of his blade.

Rei drew both wakizashi and waited a moment, watching Kenjiro's stance, sensing the movements of the muscles in his body. When he did move, she almost didn't realize it in time.

One second he was 60 feet away, the next he was in her face attacking with a flurry of strikes that took all of her concentration to block. She side flipped, jumped back, launched forward and tried everything she could think of to get though his defenses, but no matter what she did, he was easily turning her blows aside. Moments later she got kicked back into Heaven's door. Rei watched as 90 feet away, he ran his fingers across the side of the blade of his katana and the steel glowed red. Taking a low stance,he lashed out in an upper cutting motion. From the tip of the blade an invisible cutting edge extended forth and Rei barely managed to dodge it as the slash went straight up into the ceiling. She rushed forward as the massive door behind her fell forwards into the chamber slowly.

Both jumped to the side as it came down then leapt upon it riding it the rest of the way. As it fell Rei ran up as Kenjiro ran down. They clashed in the middle as gravity pulled it faster. The traded blows, nearly a dozen in the few seconds it took for the door to crash down upon the walkways. They locked up as the walls of LCL shot into the air around the door.

"Very good my Childe," Kenjiro commented. "You've learned much."

"Where's the crucible?" Rei demanded as she tried to push some kind of advantage.

"Safely in a dimensional pocket on my person. But it won't do you any good."

"It will if I can get if from you," she threatened.

"Ha! Wishful thinking." He kicked her off again throwing off a lateral blade wave a moment later. Rei landed and threw herself back into the worlds most improvised limbo as the invisible blade wave passed within centimeters of her face, cutting a huge swath into the rock walls and the remaining door which blew back before falling forward.

As she got up, he was already on her again delivering a massive kick to her stomach and throwing her against the wall. As she tried to recover she was run though with his blade.

She screamed in agony, the blade penetrating just below her heart and pushed forward until the bottom surface of the blade guard was flush against her chest. She was pinned an in a lot of pain.

"You've been such a good sport about this my childe that I think you should get to see my ascension. If you're a good girl, I might even have a place for you in the new order."

He took the hand from the pocket ripping the glove off with a grunt. In the palm he could see the embryo of Adam.

"Strange that so small a thing could have such an impact on the world eh? Well you know what they say about big things and small packages." He stepped back from her. "Now watch as the new world is born."

Rei could only watch helplessly as he conjured forth the ornate Crucible of Souls. Its necromantic runes glowed brightly in the limited light of Terminal Dogma. It floated before him as the lid released. She could hear the countless souls within the crucible stir as the embryo was held above it.

"Once the hand and embryo have become part of the crucible, I will begin to absorb its power. Third Impact will happen though me and the Black Earth Ceremony will begin. I shall rise up as the new god and declare the beginning of the Age of Kindred. The forever dark shall triumph over the world at last!"

The hand was dropped into the crucible, a sound like the burning of paper erupted as a white mist began to pour out of the crucible. Rei could've sworn she saw Lilith's head move to watch Kenjiro.

Suddenly, she felt something she didn't before, she quickly concentrated and smiled.

"There is something you didn't count on Kenjiro," she said.

"And that would be?"

She smiled. "I am an army of one."

Before he could ponder what she meant by that he was knocked over by a swarm of Reis. The half breed clones of the First Child fell upon him like a small legion of ants and bit into every bit of flesh they could find.

His screaming of "No! This can't be! I can't be defeated like this!" were music to Rei's ears. She grasped the sword by the hilt and pulled it out of her with a grunt, causing her to fall to her knees.

Suddenly the white mist lashed into the now shriveling body of Kenjiro and blew it apart, as it could not longer hold the energy.

Rei's heart skipped. If Kenjiro could no longer contain the energy…

One by one, Rei's sisters started screaming and burnt to ash in seconds as the white mist attempted to bond with anyone still baring Kenjiro's blood and failing at every turn. Rei's blood turned cold in her veins. If it could no longer bond with Kenjiro's blood it would come for the next nearest potential host.

As the last clone brunt to cinders and ash, the mist lashed into her causing her to convulse and the souls of those lost to the crucible fought within her to escape the mist as well as the prison within her body.

"Too… much…" she cried as she felt her blood begin to ignite in her body. She stood up and tried to walk closer to Lilith only to fall to her knees as a flame erupted from her cheek, burning the flesh around it to ash. Numerous gouts of flame tore out of her body as she began to lose control over the energy as quickly as it entered her.

"I… can't control it…"

She knew at any moment she would be reduced to ash, and she was too far from the LCL to use it to her advantage this time… it was nothing like the Fifth Angel now…

She looked up in her pain at the giant on the cross as it seemed to stare at her now.

"Mother…" she whispered. "Help me…"

Lilith fell from the cross, landing on two newly formed legs. The cascade of LCL in her wake was enormous. With her arms welcoming that aspect of herself back into her body, Rei began to float in the air as more gouts of flame escaped her body. Before the pain and the fire could take her completely, Lilith's body accepted her undead clone into her.

Lilith knelt in the LCL as her body started to become thinner, the mask falling from her face revealing Rei's face. Her exhalation reverberated though the cavern as the flesh finally finished forming. Then… it began to grow…

* * *

**The Bridge**

* * *

No one was at the controls as the massive AT Field was detected, they were still holding up against the JSSDF, but they felt the earthquake as the Black Moon was wrenched free of the earth it was buried in. Maya looked to the instruments then saw the massive glowing transparent hand pass through the bridge. As it passed though her, she saw the souls within crying for release and heard the tortured cries of a thousand mages. When it left, Maya was stunned. A moment later, she screamed in terror and insanity. Ritusko was quick to hold her trying to calm her as she continued her horrified screaming.

* * *

**Geo-Front**

* * *

With a massive kick, Shinji sent EVA-09 sprawling across the ground. He could have sworn he killed them ten times already, and yet one by one they were attempting to rise again. The young man simply couldn't understand why they kept fighting on. He destroyed their plugs, their cores, nearly disintegrated their bodies and yet somehow they kept rising up and coming again.

Then he saw it, rising from the ever spreading veil of smoke from NERV's pyramid, a truly colossal image of Rei, naked for all the world to see, and silvery almost transparent in visage.

"Rei," he whispered. "Of course… I should have known… the Sephirothic System… it's happening after all." The progressive knife slipped from his EVA's fingers as the MP EVAs began to all get themselves collected once more.

"Despite all our struggles… all of our work… Third Impact truly was inevitable… there was never any stopping it after all. Tabris… Arael… why didn't I believe you?"

"Shinji," came the frightened voice of Asuka behind him as her hands touched his shoulders. "What's going to happen now?"

"The end of the world Asuka," he said gravely. "The end of the world."

No longer fighting it, he stretched out his arms as if awaiting crucifixion. Out of the back of the EVA, three pairs of energy based wings extended as it left the ground.

"Close your mind Asuka," Shinji warned. "You don't want to feel what is about to happen." She looked fearfully at him as she noticed the MP EVA's had taken wing again and had retrieved their weapons, all in the form of faux Lancea Longini. The Spears suddenly launched forth extending as if they were telescoping and pieced the wrists and feet of EVA 01.

Asuka had already closed her mind off from the EVA and became even more frightened when she noticed Shinji's wrists dripping blood into the LCL. The reciprocal wounds were quite real.

"Shinji?" she asked nervously.

"Stigmata," he replied to her unasked question. "I have been blessed with the wounds of the martyr… a necessary step."

Asuka watched as the nine took up positions around EVA 01, taking a hold of it with hands and teeth along the wings and body as they began the task of lifting it higher.

"Is that really her?" Asuka asked as they rose above Rei's bosom.

"Yes and no," he replied. "It is her will but the body of Lilith. Rei has returned to her source… and now we can begin. I will see you on the other side Asuka."

"What do you mean I'm not…" then she saw it. The EVA's had separated from their initial configuration to form the cornerstones of the Sephirothic System. A moment later, a new configuration was made and it spread out a field of energy she could sense in the very air around them.

"Hey kiddo," she heard in a familiar voice behind her.

She turned and saw him there… her Kaji had come for her at last!

"Kaji-sama?" she whispered, trying to decide if this was real.

"It's me Asuka-chan, we can finally be together as you always wanted."

Of course, Shinji couldn't see or hear the manifestation of Kaji, because he knew it wasn't him at all. It was a manifestation of Lilith giving her what she needs to be at peace with her own soul, to let down her AT Field and become one with instrumentality. He idly thought that in a second he would be breathing in Asuka… but in a way that wouldn't be so bad.

He heard her cry out his name once more before an odd squishing sound. A moment later, he had to pull her plug suit out of his field of view, thinking that this was actually rather funny if you really thought about it.

He watched as the Lance Penetrated his Core, but he didn't feel it. EVA 01 became the Tree of Life as several pairs of bat-like wings grew out of the manifestation of Rei. As the tree was taken into herself, the eyes of the manifestation rolled from blue to blood red and the mouth opened revealing vampire fangs. Black veins erupted all over her body starting at the point where the tree entered her body. These veins now well over a mile in thickness each branched out and served to horrify those below. The anti AT Field was spread and soon, everyone began to forget about the horrors they witnessed as the colossal image grew ever larger.

Finally, it emerged from the atmosphere into space itself as if surfacing from water. It held its hands before it as if holding a bowl with the black moon at its center, and then it truly began.

* * *

**Black Moon**

* * *

On the Bridge of NERV, people were disintegrating into LCL around Ritsuko. She continued to comfort a terrified Maya on her lap.

"Shh," she said calmingly. "It's okay… we're together now and that's all that matters."

"Sempai," she said fearfully. "Why did this happen?"

"It was meant to happen Maya-chan," she replied. "The events were set in motion ever since the contact experiment 16 years ago… there was no avoiding it. But we are together, here and now and we always will be."

Maya sat up embracing her lover. "Sempai!" she cried as her tears flowed.

"That's it Maya," she whispered as she saw an image of a very naked Rei patiently waiting for them… waiting for Maya to become at peace. "That's it."

Ritsuko rubbed her back in a circular motion, calming the poor terrified girl. Finally with a sigh she heard her small voice again.

"Sempai," she whispered. "I love you."

Ritsuko smiled gently to her as the manifestation of Rei approached them.

"I love you too," she whispered back as she closed her eyes. She never registered the touch of the manifestation….

As Lilith's wings spread wide the screams of billions could be heard. Like an unstoppable wave, crosses of golden power ripped from the ground in every major city as the people gave up their AT Fields and became a part of instrumentality. Swirling on unseen currents, the rivers of souls rising from the earth followed the swooping paths towards their final destiny. The rivers became the currents of a great ocean of souls, teeming with energy as they were brought together in the hands of the manifestation of their new dark goddess.

* * *

**To Be Concluded…**


	25. Nightfall, Part III

**XXV: Nightfall, Part III**

* * *

**Instrumentality**

* * *

Shinji had found himself floating along under an endless sea. Everything was so calm and serene now. He looked upon himself, he was naked. His wounds were gone, even the Stigmata was no longer visible upon his skin.

He was at peace… perfect harmony surrounded him…

But…

"This isn't right," he whispered as Rei began to phase out of him. All at once he felt the warmth travel though his body. It wasn't sexual despite her appearance mounting him upon the sea. He realized it was simply a perfect oneness, symbolic of their physical connection as well as their metaphysical one. He felt the hand within his chest… it almost felt like she was caressing his very soul.

"No… it is not," Rei agreed, though her smile did not leave her face. "This is the result of all of the tampering with Instrumentality. Mankind is joined as one entity… but it is an imperfect union." She wondered if he truly understood this. Only though her final union with Lilith did she even have a clue as to what she was talking about.

"We weren't ready," Shinji answered the unasked question. "Mankind is too used to its trials and tribulations… too accustomed to hardship, unwilling to let go of so many of the things that make us human."

Rei smiled again as she leaned down to kiss him sweetly. He did understand all too well why this is doomed to ultimately fail. Mankind truly hasn't suffered enough yet.

When they parted he spoke again, "But what can we do now? It is over isn't it?"

Rei shook her head. "No… this could be a new beginning if you want it to be. Mankind is not ready; perhaps in another 60,000 years it will be, but certainly not before. So why not give them another shot? This world can be what you want it to be, as hard as you wish it to be, but you will only have one shot at creating this world in the image you desire. After that, you will no longer have the power, and it will be another who brings about another set of events leading to another attempt at Third Impact."

"Fourth time's the charm," Shinji said with a slight smile. "So… I have to decide the parameters of this new world…"

"What constitutes enough pain and misery for Mankind to grow as a species?"

"I think I know…" he whispered. "I want to stay here forever, but I can't… there is too much to do now, and 60,000 years is no where near long enough to simply dally here in the primordial sea."

"You have decided then?"

"I have," he said. "It's time to push the reset button and see what happens."

"Very well," Rei said. "The unique nature of this impact will allow me to return as well. That shouldn't be possible, but Adam and Lilith have been reunited and have allowed me to return with you."

"I want all of our friends to return," he added. "I have that power yes?"

"Yes."

"Then… my will be done…."

Rei smiled at his metaphysical joke and concentrated on his desires, to create a new world upon the ashes of the old.

It would be hellish she realized… a nightmare to the humans that existed before, but she knew this was what needed to be done, only a world such as this could possibly advance man kind to the point where they would be ready for ascension.

"Anyone who can imagine the walls around their heart may return… let the world be populated anew…"

With a burst of blood, the head of Lilith began to slide off of the rest of her body, blood sprayed beyond the atmosphere drenching the world in the precious water of lilfe. And as the body fell apart and turned into ashes as it fell, the reawakening of the world began….

* * *

**Epilogue: Dark Dawn**

* * *

**10,075 years later…**

* * *

The Village of Lightspring was a small frontier town on the edge of a wasteland with farmable territory on its eastern border. Population: 312. The ranchers were going about their nightly tasks of making sure the barriers were all in place to keep out the pesky mutated predators of the night. The mist monsters were particularly vicious, but luckily, the residence hadn't seen hide nor hair of their ilk for many seasons.

The hum of the barriers and the movement of steam engines were the only sounds to be heard as the sun quickly dipped below the horizon.

Suddenly, a cry goes out. Coming from the wasteland was a small legion of ghouls, servants of the Vampire Lords who controlled the territories beyond. This many would destroy the town quickly, and the people quickly grabbed what they could and hid below ground.

As the first wave of monsters reached the towns edge, they ran into an invisible field that showed up as a dark wall of energy as they collided with in. Hexagonal shapes ripped across it at the impact points. Several ghouls saw the originator of the barrier… a man, looking all of about 19 dressed in black from head to toe with a wide brimmed hat and a buckled coat to protect him from the night chill.

"This town is protected by The Midnight Order," he said revealing his glowing cobalt eyes had taken on a black quality. "I'd back off if I were you."

The Ghouls pressed the attack and suddenly several of them simply burst into dust as they were slashed in half. The ghouls turned to see a blue haired vampire, looking about the same age as the young mage with a pair of wicked killing blades held in reverse grips.

Their distraction from this was their undoing as two massive werewolves, one red and one black, flanked their line and started tearing the ghouls asunder. From the roof tops two women, both in black were opening fire. One wearing a wide brimmed hat unleashed bolts from her crossbow at break neck pace, while the other, with long purple hair flowing in the wind unloaded with blessed ammunition from a pair of ancient automatic pistols into their ranks.

The ghouls kept coming but where losing terribly as the warriors put their best feet forward and slaughtered the offending monsters, each a veteran of thousands of battles. This was just another day on the job for them.

Within an hour, the enemies of the town were slaughtered and the remaining forces fled back into the wastes. The cheers for the victorious heroes could be heard for miles around.

"Another day," Shinji began, "another few hundred ghouls dead."

"At least until we take it home to Branuer," Misato replied reloading her pistols.

"We can't take him right now," Maya noted. "We need more hunters, and Van Helsing is still over in what used to be North America investigating a noble named Count Magnus Lee."

The werewolves walked over transforming back into their human forms; Asuka Langley Sohryu (now appearing to be 19 years old) and an oddly clean shaven Ryoji Kaji (at Asuka's insistence).

"There is someone who can help us, but he usually works alone," Kaji explained. "I might be able to contact him for help. But I don't even know if he's on this continent or not."

"Try to arrange it," Shinji said. "Can you leave first thing in the morning?"

"No problem boss," Kaji replied with a smile.

"I'm going too!" Asuka cut in. "My Kaji is not going anywhere without me!"

"Nor would I even think to try," Kaji said as he scooped Asuka into a mock dance move and kissed her.

"Ugh!" Maya replied, "Get a room you two!"

"Oh?" Asuka said. "Pot and the kettle much? What about your beautiful little doctor?"

Maya blushed profusely.

"Really?" Rei exclaimed. "Ten-Thousand Years and you still blush when we talk about that?"

"I can't help it!" she explained.

Shinji just shook his head. "before we get any further off topic… Kaji, why do you tell me about this guy you want us to hire."

Kaji walked up next to him as the group headed back into town.

"Well he's a real uber goth, you'd like him," he explained getting a smirk from Shinji. "He's one of the best hunters out there and he goes by the name of 'D'."

_It is the year 12,094… the far future, when mutants and demons slither though a world of darkness…_

_Over 10,000 years ago there was a great war… mankind fought creatures of extraordinary power whose names have been lost in the passage of time. When the dust settled, the world was virtually destroyed… but Vampires who had hidden below ground and stockpiled their supplied arose to take control when the dust settled. They quickly established themselves as the new ruling class and subjected the population to heinous tortures and experiments._

_But time changes everything. The vampires were now losing ground to a combination of skilled hunters and persistent frontiersmen across the world. But the war against the supernatural was far from over…_

* * *

**Credits**

**Story by Archdruid Sephiroth**

**Cross Over Information from the following features, each property of their respective owners…**

**Neon Genesis Evangelion (Gainax)**

**World of Darkness (White Wolf Publications)**

**Includes Vampire the Masquerade, Mage the Ascension, and Werewolf the Apocalypse**

**The Darkness (Digital Extremes and Top Cow Productions)**

**Star Wars (Referenced only, Lucasfilms LTD)**

**Bluthochzeit [Blood Wedding] (by E Nomine)**

_**No Monetary Gain was produced by the creation of this story, and no copyright infringement intended. Material used in accordance with all fair use laws as of the current year, 2012**_

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**The Wandering Soul of 1014 (best username ever)**

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**A/N:** So now you know that I am a liar… to clarify this point for you I'll quote something I told a reviewer a while back, close to three years now.

_"This is not a Vampire Hunter D Crossover"_

This was both true and misleading. It was not strictly a Vampire Hunter D Crossover, but rather an AU Prequel tie-in that may or may not have the only real purpose of leading into a new series someday involving an actual NGE / VH D Crossover. One I may never actually write, but who knows. Stranger things have happened.

I ran into writers block several times over the making of this piece and I'm glad to finally see it though to the end. I hate leaving shit unfinished.

So what's next for me? I have another project in the planning stages, a full rewrite of NGE but that's not next. I have two major Evangelion Projects (Adrift, Too Human) and two minor projects (Trading Places, X-Factor Chronicles) still in the works. I'll be going back to all of these projects in the coming weeks, but I will be taking a short break I think for now. But if I get into the mood to write again… well… we'll just have to see about that won't we.

Thank you so much for reading, reviewing or helping this little crack-fic along. I hope you had just as much fun reading it as I did writing it. See you next story.

-Archdruid Sephiroth, signing off


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